The Trouble With Daniel, a Stargate:SG1 story
by the little spanko
Summary: Daniel sneaks off to study an alien device that unexpectedly de-ages his body to that of a fifteen year old. His sass, recklessness and crankiness cause Jack to deal with him in an interesting way. Warning: non-consensual nonsexual spanking
1. Chapter 1: The Accident

Daniel is played by Enelya Falcone, Jack is played by thelittlespanko and the rest of the characters are shared between the two authors.

**Chapter One: The Accident**

The occupants of the planet were a fascination to Daniel and the rest of the crew. They all seemed so wise even the youngest of them which turned out to be fifteen. Carter had made a remark about how it was odd that there didn't seem to be any younger children on the planet. Daniel didn't think anything of it though as almost nothing surprised him anymore about the planets they encountered.

As they were being shown the different buildings and aspects of the planet by an elder member, Daniel thought he saw something glowing when they passed one of the buildings, and being behind everyone decided to investigate it a minute, and then slip back before anyone noticed he was gone. He walked casually away from the group and over to the building where he saw the object.

Daniel hurried into the building and noticed a glowing blue crystal sphere in the center of a large stone tablet four feet away from the entrance. He walked forward slowly, mesmerized by the sphere. It seemed to beckon him closer. He dropped his sack down and walked the last foot to the sphere. Daniel began to silently try to decipher the ancient language on the tablet as he touched the blue sphere.

The sphere grew quite warm under his hands and suddenly it began to glow so bright, Daniel had to close his eyes. *Okay maybe I should've listened to Jack when he said not to touch anything* he thought as he felt his eyes growing heavy. He dropped to floor a moment later.

After the tour took them through yet a fourth building, Jack was quickly becoming bored. His attention span had never been tuned to history or science. No. He was a man of action, and being expected to goggle over the dusty old statues and broken machinery of this hoity toity planet by their equally hoity toity hosts was not his type of action. "Saaaay, got any...I dunno...advanced defensive weapons collecting dust around here or anything? You know, something **useful**?" Jack said in his most suave voice as he held a hand up in the air in a sort of shrug. The Gantha's, their hosts, looked at him dumbfounded, which made Jack grin. "Not that all of this isn't fascinating," he said as he twirled his raised hand to indicate their surroundings.

Turning to take in the reaction of his team, he saw Teal'c raising his eyebrow in normal intrigue and agreement with his actions, Carter was of course embarrassed by her team leader's questions but the glimmer in her eye showed her agreement, and Daniel, well his reaction would be the funniest of all. Daniel, being a civilian rather than military, would not agree with his attempt to stay on mission and was surely gobbling all of this useless information right up. Jack could hear the argument and see the eye rolling from the young archeologist now and so Jack's eyes kept drifting to... "Where's Daniel?" Jack spat out, instantly irritated.

Teal'c and Carter turned in every direction, trying to find a sign of their troublesome companion. "The nerve of that kid," Jack muttered under his breath as he noticed a certain person's boot prints were missing altogether in the sandy floor.

"It appears Daniel Jackson did not follow us into this building Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c said in his normal baritone roboticness, also looking at the ground and towards the door twenty feet away.

"Is there a problem?" the Elder Gantha asked, eyeing her guests, who in her opinion were much less intelligent, with some disdain.

Jack merely turned and grinned at their hosts. "Oh no. No problem. Our young companion is probably still drooling over that tablet he saw in the last building. He's a curious lad," Jack said tightly, hoping Daniel hadn't found a new way to get himself nearly killed in his short absence.

"Your Highness, the Room of Return...it's not far from here," one of the Gantha's said, clearly concerned. The Elder Gantha's eyes widened.

"Room of Return?" Jack ventured, a little worried by the Gantha's actions.

The Elder Gantha nodded at the others before wisping past SG:1, obviously expecting them to follow. Jack looked at Carter and shrugged, "Room of Return."

They came upon a building that was glowing strangely from within. As they approached, Jack sped up as he saw something on the ground. '..not something...SOMEONE,' he thought to himself, both concerned and angry, noting Daniel's blondish hair and fatigues as he lay on the ground. The Gantha's were all standing around Daniel, and Jack pushed his way in front and knelt down next to the twenty something 'kid.'

"Danny?" Jack said, gently rolling Daniel over to assess any injuries. ...but, something was wrong. "What the ...?" was all Jack was able to get out as he looked into the young teenage face of his wayward archeologist.

Daniel groaned as he felt himself moving. His whole body felt like one big bruise. He reached a hand up to touch his head and instead touched….another hand? He moaned as he opened his eyes and then adjusted his glasses when he couldn't see straight. "What the hell happened? I feel like I got run over by a truck!" Daniel asked.

He saw the look on Jack's face and asked, "What's wrong? I'll be alright. I just got a massive headache," Daniel said as he started to sit up. It was then he noticed the looks on everyone's faces. "Seriously guys, I'll be fine."

"I would not say that just yet, Daniel Jackson. I do not think the others would agree with that statement either," Teal'c told him as he glanced at both Jack and Carter.

Carter just stared. She still couldn't believe what they were seeing. She looked up at their hosts to see their reaction on this and they looked bored. She took a breath and glanced back at Jack, his reaction was not going to be pleasant.

The Ganthas had moved off to the side as they watched the interaction of their guests. What they couldn't understand is why they seemed upset over the condition of the young one. The Elder Gantha walked over and said, "When you are ready to continue just let us know, we will be waiting outside." Their hosts then turned to leave.

Jack seethed, but for the moment thought it best to continue checking Daniel. "Anything else sore other than your head, Danny? You remember the date, the president – that sort of thing, right?" Jack asked, looking into Daniel's bright blue eyes, making sure the pupils were moving correctly, which they were.

Daniel looked at Jack a moment. "Uh Jack, did you miss the part where I said I felt like I had been run over by a truck? I think you did. Yes, I remember the date and the president. I apparently know who you and the rest of the crew are, why wouldn't I know those things?" Daniel asked. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with the rest of them. They looked at him like there was something wrong with him. Wait, what if there was? "Alright, what's wrong with me?" he asked looking at each of them hoping to get an answer.

"Well, let's just say that your looks match your attitude now," Sam told him, though she couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face.

"Boy, that's the understatement of the year, Carter," Jack said to Sam, making her smile even more. "And quit it with the attitude already, Daniel."

Daniel looked at Sam when she made her statement and raised an eyebrow, which quickly turned to a glare at Jack for his. "I don't have an attitude Jack. I'm just trying to figure out why everyone's gaping at me like I've grown another head."

"I do not think Daniel Jackson understands the situation, Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c said in an attempt to placate both of his team mates.

"You're a kid, Daniel. A bonafide teenager again, and by the looks of it around the age of fifteen," Jack said, exasperated. "Didn't I tell you – Don't I **always **tell you not to touch anything?..._not _to wander off? Look at yourself, Daniel."

He looked over at Teal'c at his words and then back at Jack. His mouth dropped open at Jack's words. Daniel raised one of his hands and his eyes widened. "This can't be happening," he muttered. "Well yeah, but I couldn't help myself. I saw the glow and figured I could go see what it was and get back before you noticed I was gone. I was just trying to read the tablet," he said and winced slightly knowing that explanation wasn't going to go over well.

"Of all the stupid things...well, I guess you figured wrong, didn't ya kiddo? I have half a mind to...you just wait til Fraiser gives you a clean bill of health!" Jack was spastic in his movements, waving his arms around him in what would normally be a humorous display of irritation to the rest of his team, if not for the current circumstances. Looking outside the building, Jack huffed at the realization that the snooty Elder was their chance of returning the boy genius back into the form of a man. "Hey, Elder lady, you wanna step in and fix this?" Jack called out, making a sour face as he noticed his own rude tone.

The Elder Gantha stepped back in and gave Jack a pitying look as though his mental capacity was severely limited. "There is nothing to fix."

"What! Nothing to fix? What the hell is going on here?" Jack yelled out in a slightly higher octave, feeling the vein in his forehead beginning to throb. "Look at'em, he can't be older than fifteen now! Fix this! Fix it now!"

"What the Colonel is trying to say, Ma'am, is that we want whatever happened to Daniel reversed," Sam said, trying to settle the ruffled feathers of their hosts.

"Ah!" Jack barked out in happy agreement, waggling his finger at Sam and nodding as he fixed the Elder Gantha with a handsome smile.

"Reverse it? Why ever would you want to reverse it? Your friend has returned to his health and vigor. Surely he will be of more use to you now," the Elder said while staring down her nose at Sam, clearly showing how foolish she thought they all were.

"Daniel, tell the nice Elder lady you want this reversed," Jack said in the irritated mock tone of someone speaking to a young child.

Daniel immediately began to try to move away from Jack when he started his rant. Ok so maybe he should've just kept his mouth shut. He inched away a little bit. But stopped when he connected with someone's boot. He looked up and saw Teal'c looking down at him.

"I don't think you should be going anywhere at the moment Daniel Jackson," Teal'c told him with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Uhm, in case you didn't notice Jack seems ready to kick someone's butt," Daniel said. *Most likely mine* he added silently in his head. He sat up a little more against Teal'c's legs. He watched as Jack spoke rudely to their host and his eyes widened. He stared at the Elder lady when she said he'd be more of use now. He felt insulted at that remark.

He scowled at Jack as he spoke to him like a child. He wasn't about to tell any alien being what to do. Daniel turned to their host once more. "Ok, is what happened to me reversible?" Daniel asked as he pushed his glasses up and squinted slightly. "Crap, I'll need a new prescription, " he murmured softly to himself. He took them off and shoved them into his pocket.

The Ganthas immediately looked both perplexed and embarrassed. "We do not know," The Elder lady said slowly, "it has never been needed. If you insist on this, I will have my scientists begin research."

"Uh, yea!" Jack said in his normal sarcastic way to the Elder lady.

"Thank you," Sam jumped in.

"Well, in the meantime, let's get back to base and have Daniel checked out. You know, before he backs into another alien device and grows two heads or something," Jack grabbed Daniel up as he spoke, keeping a grip on him as he led his team to the gate while somewhat marching Daniel a step ahead of him.

Daniel could barely get another question out before he was hauled up and made to head towards the gate. He stumbled slightly and pushed back against Jack. "Hey I can walk you know, I don't need you to push on me," Daniel finally growled.

"He's definitely a teenager, Janet's gonna love him," Sam said as she shook her head at Daniel's words. She'd be surprised if Daniel lasted longer than an hour with Jack with that attitude of his.

"Oh yea, I'm sure you could walk your skinny butt to the gate just fine," Jack said in an irritated tone while not letting go, "but just in case there's anything else shiny on the way, I'd rather keep a hand on you. Got it?"

Daniel snorted at both Jack and Sam. "Gee Jack, are you saying that even with you behind me you wouldn't be able to tell if I disappeared from in front of you," Daniel groused as he walked along. "And I said quit pushing, I didn't say anything about your hand touching me," Daniel growled softly more to himself than to anybody.

He wasn't sure why he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. He hadn't been like this the first time around…of course the first time around he wasn't a twenty-nine year old stuck in a fifteen year old's body.

Jack's temper flared, Daniel had scared him bad today, and it wasn't the first time. 'He wanders off nearly Every Time we go off world! Half the time, nearly getting killed in the process!' he thought to himself as they walked towards the gate. The smart remark from Daniel only angered Jack more. "What did I tell you about the attitude, Danny? I've had it to the gills with you and I'm about ready to use more than words here. Less talking, more marching." Jack had to really work at not strangling the kid then and there, and was more than half tempted to give him a swat to get Daniel moving at a faster pace. But, he really should have Dr. Fraiser check him out first. Really, he should. 'Shouldn't I?' he thought to himself.

Teal'c and Carter exchanged a glance behind Jack's head. "It seems young Daniel Jackson is treading a very thin line. He would do well to listen before Colonel O'Neill decides his hand would be better used somewhere else," Teal'c said quietly.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I agree," she said as she trotted along behind Jack and Daniel.

Daniel could hear the murmured voices behind him, but ignored them. *What exactly does he mean use more than words? It's not like he can do anything to me.* Daniel thought to himself. He muttered quietly to himself in too soft of tones for Jack to make out what he was saying and then switched to another language just in case Jack suddenly developed bat like hearing and could actually make out what Daniel was saying. He couldn't resist marching though for a few steps. Jack, in his opinion, was being a little too parental for Daniel's liking. *What am I worried about, it's not like he's actually my father or my guardian for that matter.* He thought as the gate came into site finally.

Jack was pleased to see some actual marching from Daniel, so much so that he decided to ignore the grumbling he heard coming from the young man. All of this had to be hard on Daniel, even if it was his own fault, and Jack could sympathize with him...to a point. Teal'c's comment behind him made Jack grin, realizing he wasn't the only one thinking that Daniel deserved a good ass blistering was a relief. As they reached the gate, Jack let go of Daniel's shoulder, "Dial us out, Danny."

Daniel felt stressed out and tired as he dialed up the gate to take them home. He walked back over to Jack and just stood there.

Teal'c and Sam raised an eyebrow at each other as they watched Daniel suddenly lay his head on Jack's shoulder. "Poor kid, it looks like everything's finally caught up with him," Sam said softly.

"I agree, although I doubt Colonel O'Neill will see it that way if Daniel Jackson starts to speak again," Teal'c said a little amused.

Sam snickered softly.

Daniel straightened up as the gate called up so they could proceed through. He knew General Hammond was not going to be happy with him, of course when was he when they came back from a mission.

Jack had nearly jumped when Daniel laid his head on his shoulder. It was a painful reminder of the son he'd lost just a few years ago, and quite an unexpected action from the young archeologist. It was impossible not to dwell on the fact that his own son, if he had still been alive, would be about fifteen now. Wondering just how much of a toll the events of the day had taken on Daniel, Jack forced himself not to move away and simply let the kid rest on his shoulder.

"Come on Danny, let's go," Jack said quietly to him as they walked side by side through the worm hole, followed by Sam and Teal'c.


	2. Chapter 2: Coming Home

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay! Lilschmidt - who writes for Jack - moved and then fell ill with the flu. Updates should come in a much more timely manner now! Thank you all for your kind words, inquiries and reviews!

* * *

General Hammond and Dr. Fraiser were awaiting their arrival in the gate room, intuitively knowing something was awry by their quick return. SG:1 had been scheduled to be off world for another five hours, and the lack of a transmission let them know it wasn't a battle sending the team home early. The General's kind eyes went straight to Daniel, taking on a worried and severe look, "What the devil is going on here?" Hammond asked in military style as he peered at Daniel, quickly realizing that it was in fact his archeologist.

"Uhm...let's just say he couldn't keep his hands to his self, sir," Jack replied as he instantly felt protective rather than enraged with Daniel, shouldering himself in between the two.

General Hammond huffed with a sort of knowing at Daniel, "Dr. Fraiser, take Daniel to the infirmary and have him checked. The rest of you, to the Debriefing Room. Now." Jack raised his eyebrows as though to say, '_Well, what did you expect?_' to Daniel before he and the rest of the team followed the General out of the gate room.

Daniel straightened up and walked through the worm hole with Jack. He swallowed hard when he saw both General Hammond and Dr. Fraiser waiting. He cringed slightly as well. He hated the exams after normal missions, he was sure this one would be worse. He jumped back slightly at General Hammond's commanding voice. He softly snorted at Jack's comment, but was surprised when he found himself behind Jack as though he were being protected. '_OK, this is new,_' Daniel thought to himself. He opened his mouth to protest about Jack leaving him, but shut it. Jack had better things to do than to baby sit him in the infirmary, besides they had a debriefing.

"Alright Daniel, you heard the General, let's go," Janet stated as she began to tug on Daniel's arm to get him headed towards the infirmary.

Daniel jerked away. "I'm not a baby, Janet. I don't need you tugging on me the whole way," Daniel snapped, tired of everyone trying to order him around now that he just looked a little younger.

Janet looked at him with the scrutinizing wide eyes of a doctor, "Alright Daniel. I know this is hard on you, I'm just eager to make sure you're ok."

Daniel sighed. "I'm sorry, ok. I'm just tired and frustrated with the way everyone keeps treating me. I'm still me, just…younger, " Daniel said quietly as he followed her down the hall.

"It's ok, Daniel. You've experienced a lot today. Up on the table for me," Janet said as she began checking him over.

Meanwhile in the Debriefing room, General Hammond was looking at the other members of the team. "Alright so who wants to explain to me why Dr. Jackson is now a kid?" he asked. He looked at Jack and said, " A better explanation than the one you've already given me."

Jack visibly cringed when Hammond fixed him with a no nonsense look. Somehow, on those rare occasions when the kind old General showed anger, whether with him or not, Jack's mind seemed to go blank.

Seeing Jack fail to find his words, Sam jumped in for him, "Sir, the Ganthas were taking us on a tour and Daniel slipped out to look at a glowing tablet, hoping he could slip back before we noticed..."

"Big surprise there," Jack piped up, then waved his hand to excuse his interruption so that Sam would continue.

"...Its design and function apparently revert the Ganthas to the age of fifteen, which is why we saw no children while we were there. Theoretically, they solved the problem of overpopulation and death in one go. Fascinating, really," Sam broke off, her mind whirling at the possibilities.

General Hammond glared at Jack when he interrupted, but didn't say anything else. He listened to Sam intently and asked, "So, you're saying the beings that are there now have possibly been there for centuries, turning themselves back into teenagers once they reached a certain age?" Seeing the nods he said, "I guess the question now is what to do with Daniel."

Back in the infirmary, Daniel huffed as he got on the table. He hated this, but he wasn't about to argue with Janet. She'd been decent to him, unlike a certain Colonel who'd given him crap every step of the way. He remained quiet for the most part during the exam, if any needles came into play he was out of there. She'd have to catch him first.

"Well, your reflexes and everything check out, Daniel, that's good. All that's left is to run some blood, an MRI and a CT scan and we're done!" Janet said cheerfully, used to an amicable Daniel as she nodded to an assistant to take the blood.

Jack caught the glare from Hammond and looked at the floor while Sam continued. Hammond's comment about what to do with Daniel made him smirk. "Oh, I have a few ideas sir," he said with a twinkle in his eye that made the General smirk as well.

"I was referring to living and work arrangements. We can't have what by all intents and purposes appears to be a teenager coming and going as he pleases. The general public will get suspicious. Has the change effected his behavior?" Hammond asked, curious about how much damage Daniel's little excursion really caused.

Blood? Oh yeah Daniel knew what that meant. As the assistant drew near, Daniel was off the table on the other side and fast walking for the door. He was out of here. MRI and CT scan he could handle, but blood work, no way. He was halfway to the door when he saw Janet heading for him out of the corner of his eye. He then took off out the door and down the hall, not caring where he went, just as long as it was away from the infirmary.

Sam started snickering at General Hammond's question. "You could say that, sir. Although I would say the attitude now matches the body it comes out of," Sam said trying her best to stifle her giggles.

"What she means, sir, is that Daniel Jackson now acts like the teenager he looks like, although he does not see this," Teal'c responded when he saw the questioning look the general was giving them.

"I see. Well O'Neill, what do you have to say about this?" General Hammond asked.

Janet should have expected this, Daniel had always slightly squirmed around needles. As an adult, though, he usually kept quiet and always dutifully let his blood be drawn without much complaining. "Daniel, come back! I know needles are scary, but I need to test your blood," she motioned for some of the officers to cut Daniel off so that he wouldn't get too far. She continued on her way, knowing Daniel was running into a 'dead end' of sorts, trying to think of how to calm him so that she wouldn't have to take his blood forcibly.

"I say Danny will need some looking after," Jack was abruptly cut off when, just down the hall, they heard running, followed by Janet's voice yelling after Daniel, "...take now for instance, sir." Everyone looked at the door, still seated but poised to go and assist as Hammond motioned them to stay put for the time being.

Daniel tried to avoid the officers that were headed his way. He turned and ran back the other way, avoiding Janet as he ran past the infirmary. He opened the door and slammed it behind him, not paying attention to anything in the room. He heard the clearing of someone's throat and looked up slowly. He saw that he had inadvertently gone into the debriefing room. He saw General Hammond, Sam, Teal'c and Jack looking at him. "Uhm…hi?"

General Hammond looked at the teenaged archeologist. "Problems already, son?" he asked.

"Uhm…well you could say that," Daniel said not moving from against the door. He heard footsteps getting closer and quickly locked it. He turned to the others a bit sheepishly.

"What is it that you are hiding from, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked as he looked at the door more than at Daniel to see if he could see what form of attack was coming.

"Dr. Fraiser and her needle," Daniel mumbled softly.

"I see," said Teal'c, still looking at the door with some interest. The others all did their best to keep grins off of their faces.

"Now Daniel, Dr. Fraiser needs to check your blood for your own good," Hammond said soothingly, trying to placate the frightened young man. "We need to make sure you're alright before we make any other moves."

"Want me to go with you?" Jack asked with concern, rather than his usual sarcasm. "...if that's alright with you, sir."

"Go ahead O'Neill. I'm sure Dr. Fraiser would appreciate the assistance," General Hammond said as he began to shuffle the papers on the table. He looked at the others. "The rest of you may go as well. O'Neill, I would like to know about what you were suggesting earlier as well," General Hammond said, referring to Jack's statement about Daniel needing someone to look after him.

Daniel looked back and forth between the two. "No I don't want you to go with me, because I'm refusing to have it done. I'm fine, just younger. I am not letting her near me with a needle," Daniel said vehemently.

The other three in the room looked at Jack wondering exactly what he thought of Daniel's refusal.

Jack's ire had resurfaced with Daniel's smart mouth. "Oh, for cryin' out loud Daniel, it's just a little poke. Janet's not going to hurt you and you *are* having it done," Jack said, getting up from the table and beginning to stalk slowly towards Daniel. "Now this can happen two ways: You let me bring you to Janet for that blood test; or you can run, I'll catch you, spank that little butt of yours – and *then* you'll get your blood test. It's up to you, Danny."

"Yeah to you it's a little poke. Janet wasn't the one doing it anyway, still that's not the point. The point is I'm not having it done," Daniel said. His eyes widened at Jack's next words. How dare the man say something like that and especially in front of anyone else. Two things happened next: Daniel quickly stood and unlocked the door and the officers who'd been chasing Daniel barged in.

Teal'c, Sam and General Hammond had all made a move to help Jack catch the boy, but when the door flew open and the other officers came in, it confused everyone. No one, except possibly Jack, saw Daniel slip away from everyone in the confusion.

"Danny, get back here!" Jack yelled as he gave chase, tripping as he pushed the guards out of his way. "Come on, he's gettin' away!" he yelled to his team. '_That is gonna be one sorry kid when I get my hands on him,_' he thought to himself. Hearing heavy footsteps behind him, he turned to see Teal'c keeping pace. "T, take the other hall, we can box him in!"

'_I don't think so,_' Daniel thought to himself as he heard Jack's shout. He was headed towards his office to barricade himself in so he could escape everyone. Oh sure he'd have to come out eventually, but hopefully by the time that he did, everyone would've cooled down.

Teal'c nodded and made his way down the other hall, keeping an eye out for the stray archeologist. He spotted Daniel headed straight for him, but when the teen spotted him, Daniel turned and took off the other way.

Daniel couldn't believe it. First Teal'c was blocking his way from the one hall and when he ran the other way to slip down another one, Jack was there. There had to be a way out, but before he had time to think, both Jack and Teal'c were upon him. '_I'm toast,_' he thought.

"It would be wise to stop this, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, folding his enormous arms over his chest and raising his eyebrow as he looked down at the boy, effectively blocking out the only escape route as Jack came closer, followed by Sam and General Hammond.

Daniel sighed, leaned against a wall and slid down till he was sitting on his butt. He buried his face in his hands and waited till the others caught up. The footsteps got closer and without looking up, Daniel could tell he was surrounded.

"Danny, are you alright?" Sam asked as she gently touched the top of Daniel's head.

"I am at the moment," Daniel murmured into his arms. _'I most likely won't be when Jack gets done with me,_' he thought.

The sight of Daniel sulking and getting sympathy really got under Jack's skin. He had known exactly what he was doing when he ran, and he knew the consequences. Jack grabbed Daniel's arms and gently pulled him up. "Excuse us," he said to his team as he escorted Daniel into his own office, closing the door behind them.

Daniel was slightly startled as he was pulled up. The look on Jack's face stopped him from making any comments or even attempting to pull away. Once in Jack's office, Daniel stared at the floor. He wasn't sure what to say. He knew sorry wasn't going to cut it. He finally looked at Jack and said, "I hate needles, it was worse when I was a kid." He wasn't sure what else to say.

"See, I wish you coulda talked to me like this **before** you ran off after I warned you," Jack sighed and put his hand on Daniel's shoulder, feeling bad for him. "We could of prevented this whole thing."

Daniel felt the heat rushing to his cheeks as he turned away. He'd been embarrassed to say anything with the others there and had resorted to giving lip instead. He couldn't help it. His heart was racing and he was praying Jack hadn't actually meant what he said he was going to do.

"C'mon, let's get it over with. You've more than earned it," Jack took Daniel by the wrist and began leading him to a chair sitting in front of his desk.

Daniel pulled back. "You're serious? Jack you can't. No way. I'm not agreeing to this," Daniel argued as he continued to dig his heels into the carpet.

"Danny, stop fighting" Jack said warningly as he easily pulled the slim teen to the chair, despite Daniel's efforts to pull away, sitting down and pulling him over his lap.

"No, this isn't fair! I haven't done anything wrong, besides I'm an adult Jack. You can't treat me this way," Daniel said as he threw back his hand to prevent Jack from landing any assault on his butt.

Jack's eyes nearly popped out of his head at that, "Didn't do anything wrong my ass!" Jack grabbed Daniel's hand and held it in the small of his back, securing him in place over his lap. "And I don't care if you're agreeing to it or not, because I'm not gonna stand around and let you get yourself killed," Jack landed the first stinging swat. "You're too important to me."

"OW! That hurt! I didn't do anything wrong, all I did was run because that idiot assistant of Janet's was gonna stick me with that needle. I don't do well around needles, Jack," Daniel complained as he jumped at the first swat. He kicked his feet up over his backside, hoping to prevent any more swats.

"Watch it, Danny," Jack warned when Daniel insulted Janet's assistant, glad that at least the woman wasn't within earshot. Jack knew which one he was talking about; she didn't have the best bedside manner, but she was quite talented and didn't cause any undue pain in the procedures she performed. Sighing, Jack rearranged Daniel on his lap, trapping the teen's legs between his own and immobilizing him. "It was more than the running, it was the mouthing off, the disobedience and the fact that you've pushed me too far today," Jack landed a swat for each reason.

Daniel tried to get away when Jack maneuvered him, and struggled afterwards even though he could now go nowhere. He yelped at the swats that landed and swiped furiously, with his free hand, at the tears that were forming in his eyes. "Yeah, well you get turned into a teenager and see how you feel and act," Daniel said as he swiped at the traitorous tears now running down his cheeks.

"I gave you plenty of chances, don't pull that on me!" Jack ground out as he kept on swatting the wriggling bottom over his knee. "If you're gonna insist that you still have an adult mind, that ain't gonna work."

"I'm not pulling anything on you! You think I'm happy about what happened? Do you think I'm happy with myself? If you do you're not as smart as I thought you were. I told you when you first found me that I couldn't help myself and I couldn't once I saw it, it was like it drew me to it. I'm sorry alright, I'm sorry," Daniel muttered the last softly as he finally broke into sobs, mostly from what had happened to him, not what was happening to him at the moment.

Jack stopped spanking and rested his hand on Daniel's bottom. "Ok, you said you couldn't help yourself from touching the tablet. Maybe that's cuz you didn't have anything to fear til now. But, I know damn well that you can do better at watching that mouth of yours and the acting out. I already told you that that was what this was for, we haven't gotten to the running off and touching the tablet yet." Jack lectured, his emotions swimming between having pity on the now sobbing young man, which he hadn't yet expected, and his overall anger over said young man's actions of the day.

Daniel sniffed softly as his sobs began to subside. He wrapped his arms around Jack's leg and laid his head against him. He shook his head at Jack's words. "No Jack, I don't mean like I couldn't help myself like normal, it was like the orb itself was pulling me towards it," Daniel started softly from where his head lay against Jack's leg. He wrapped his arms around Jack's leg tighter and continued, "I'm sorry about everything, I don't know what's wrong with me. I know I'm being mouthier than normal, but weren't you at…what am I supposed to be fifteen? I know I didn't tell you about my fear of needles as a kid, but we were in front of everyone and you also had just proclaimed what you were going to do if I ran. Do you even realize how much that embarrassed me?" Daniel asked. "Jack? I need to sit up a few minutes please," he said softly after a few minutes.

"I'm sorry, I get a little testy when members of my team basically tell me to shove it," Jack bleated. Then he clenched his jaw and, to indicate that the archeologist could get up, said "Ok Danny" as he released the younger man from his grip. Jack wasn't at all comfortable with the prospect that the alien device may have actually 'pulled' Daniel to it, and was inwardly thanking the powers that be that he hadn't dealt with this particular transgression just yet. Having Daniel sobbing and grasping onto him so desperately wasn't at all comfortable either. So, Jack did what he did best in these confusing situations, he raised his eyebrows and waited for the other party to speak after first emitting an annoyed and confused grunt.

Daniel cringed slightly at the words as he slid off of Jack's lap onto his knees. He raised his head slowly trying to keep himself from getting dizzy as the blood rushed back through the rest of his body. He was still a little light headed and without thinking laid his head in Jack's lap. "This has been a crappy day all around. I'm sorry if you thought I was telling you to shove it. It wasn't my intention. I've been feeling off ever since I felt compelled to touch that orb. I don't know if I was this horrible as a kid. It could be why I got shipped around to so many foster homes though," Daniel said starting to talk more to himself towards the end.

Exhaling laboriously, Jack slowly and heavily patted Daniel's head twice before resting his hand on Daniel's head. To the apology, he gave a quick jut of the eyebrow with a blink and a shrug, which – in Jack speak – was known to mean that the offense was already forgotten and was even farther past than water under a bridge. But, just to be certain he said, "Don't worry about it – and you aren't horrible, Daniel." The thing that really concerned him was what Daniel said next about his foster care. Never before had it been mentioned, and most of Jack's references and questions to Daniel's childhood during casual conversation had previously been carefully avoided by the younger man. Understanding Daniel's private and hands-off nature, Jack had never thought much about it before now, other than the occasional opinion that the lip he often received from Daniel was likely due to loose reins during youth. It made sense, he had reasoned many times before, _'who'd wanna be tough on a kid who watched his parents get crushed to death?' _ Quirking the corner of his mouth in a grim smile, Jack said, "Well that sounds just peachy. You know that had nothing to do with you - getting shipped around – right? Clearly, the people doing the shipping were stupid."

"I've been worse than I normally am, I feel horrible," Daniel muttered softly, but not soft enough that Jack wouldn't be able to hear him. The weight of Jack's hand on his head felt comforting and Daniel tried not to move. He didn't want Jack to think it was bothering him and remove it.

"Peachy? Yeah peachy it wasn't. I mean some foster homes were alright, but others were mainly in it for the money. The social workers always said that though, that it had nothing to do with me, but in a way it did. I was too old. Everyone wants a baby or at least a toddler. I was neither," Daniel said.

"Ah, see – stupid," Jack rang out, "babies and infants can't play catch! And I get it, you're sorry. Don't get down on yourself about it." Jack patted Daniel's head a couple of more times, but otherwise stayed still, not wanting to discourage Daniel if he wanted to keep talking.

Daniel smiled at Jack. "Thanks. It would've been nice if there had been more foster parents that thought like you," Daniel said quietly. He sighed heavily and then lifted his head. "Am I still…am I still in trouble or are we done? If we're done, are we going back to Janet?" Daniel asked. He wasn't too keen on going back and getting prodded with needles, but if Jack was gonna go with him, he would tolerate it.

"Daniel, I think you'll be glad to know that – for the moment – you are officially **out** of trouble," Jack said, relishing the return to sarcasm and hoping to lighten the mood. "And yea, we're paying Janet a visit. C'mon," Jack said as he motioned to Daniel it was time to get up.

With an exaggerated groan Daniel stood up and gave Jack a grin at his tone. "That didn't take long," Daniel said, referring to Jack's need to be sarcastic. "Ah well, if I must go back, I'm making sure Janet does it," Daniel said, then shot Jack a brief worried look, before schooling his features. "Jack, if I tell you something you won't get angry will you?" he asked, wondering why he was even bringing it up.

"Hey, it's what I do," Jack said proudly as he tried to smirk with his eyes only. "I think Janet can manage that. C'mon, I'll go with ya," Jack said before stopping dead in his tracks. Raising an eyebrow at Daniel's question he replied, "Try me."

Daniel looked down at the floor and sighed. "I…I was going to ask you, when we first came back through the gate, I was going to ask you if you would come with me, but- but General Hammond wanted all of you and you were gone before I could say anything," Daniel said unsure of why he was admitting this to Jack.

Jack knit his eyebrows together while his lower lip slightly protruded as he thought a moment before asking, "And this would anger me how?"

"I don't know. I just figured you would get angry with me for it," Daniel said as he stepped back from Jack. The look on the older man's face wasn't reassuring. "Just forget I said anything. Let's go," Daniel said as he decided to try to sidle past Jack.

Jack scrunched his mouth up as he narrowed his eyes, "No no, hold on. You thought I'd be angry why? Because you were shocky and embarrassed and worried to speak up after the General gave an order? ...Am I getting this, here?"

Daniel froze where he stood and without looking up at Jack, he nodded. "It's ok. I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm sorry," Daniel said softly as he once against tried to sidle past Jack. He chanced a glance up and immediately ducked his head when he saw that Jack looked even angrier than before.

Jack let his full frame block Daniel's attempts to try and slink by as he leveled the archeologist with an irritated look. "Daniel, for cryin' out loud, it's ok! I get it, you got freaked out and embarrassed – no more puppy eyes, everything is fine." Jack sighed and playfully slapped him in the back of the head, "...happens to everyone. That everything? You alright now?"

Daniel cringed slightly when Jack began speaking. As Jack continued, though, Daniel slowly looked up. He couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face. He nodded. "Yeah, I'm good," Daniel said. "I guess we should head to my doom now," Daniel joked knowing Janet was going to lay into him for running.

Jack smirked with enough confidence for the both of them, "Hey, we've been through worse situations than this. Let's go get'um, Danny." Jack clasped ahold of Daniel's shoulder with one hand, opened the door with the other and led him into the hall.

"I take it that everything is under control, gentleman?" General Hammond asked sternly before visibly relaxing at seeing a relaxed grin on Daniel's face when the two had exited the room.

"I'd rather leave them, than get them," Daniel said with a grin. He followed Jack out into the hall.

Daniel looked at the General a little startled when he spoke. He ducked his head slightly, praying the man hadn't heard anything that transpired in Jack's office. "Yes sir," Daniel answered.

Jack looked from Daniel to the others in irritation. Teal'c was standing at attention with an emotionless grimace on his face. Sam was sort of hunched as her eyes darted around nervously. Sighing in irritation, Jack hissed, "Smooth. Reeeeal smooth," he said as he looked around before his eyes rested on the General, "...and I mean that with all due respect, _**sir**_**.**"

When he saw Sam and Teal'c standing there as well, Daniel's face flushed red, he shrugged Jack's hand off, fled back into the office and shut the door behind him. They had heard, they had all heard. He curled onto the couch and buried his face in his lap.

Sam looked at Jack after Daniel left. "We worried about Daniel, sir. It wasn't like we were intentionally listening in," she said as she darted her eyes towards Teal'c and the General.

"It is as she says, O'Neill. We wished to check on Daniel Jackson, though it seems he is offended now with us," Teal'c replied straight faced.

General Hammond raised an eyebrow at Jack at his words, but nodded. "Don't you think you were a little too harsh on the boy? I mean he has had a trying day already," he said trying to placate Jack in some way. It amused him though that Jack was acting like a mother bear who's cub was now hurt.

Jack pressed his lips into a very straight line as he shook with anger, "You all happy now? Ya think **maybe** he coulda used some privacy, huh?! ….Didn't I say '_**excuse us**_'?!" Jack barked, making jagged movements. Looking from Sam to Teal'c, he yelled "....Get outta here! " Then, looking at the General, he added a lame, "Everything *was* under control, sir."

Sam's eyes widened at Jack. "Sorry sir," she said before she immediately fled the scene.

Teal'c, on the other hand, wasn't that easily scared off. He raised an eyebrow at Jack. "I was not aware that you wished us to leave the area completely. I was under the impression that you just did not want us in the office," Teal'c said.

General Hammond looked from Jack to Teal'c and knew Teal'c's presence would only annoy Jack further. "Teal'c, if you could do as the colonel said and leave. Thank you," he said.

Teal'c grunted, but turned on his heel and walked off.

"Now what do you mean it *was* under control? Daniel appeared to be fine," General Hammond said as he turned back towards Jack.

"Oh sure, he was just peachy until he saw the listening party," Jack groused. "It wasn't easy getting him to feel better either, you know – having that tablet pull him to it really messed him up! And – if you _**haven't**_ noticed - he just ran for cover when he saw you all out here!"

General Hammond listened and sighed when Jack said something about the listening party. He grew concerned when Jack spoke of Daniel needing to feel better. "Was he feeling badly Jack? Maybe you should get him to Janet so she can finish checking him out. The tablet pulled…wait I though you said he touched it on his own. You didn't tell me it pulled him towards it," General Hammond said, his face becoming stern as he glared at Jack. "I'll admit all of us shouldn't have been out here, but we were just concerned for the boy. I'll head back to my office, but I expect an explanation soon," the General said still with a hint of concern in his voice.

Jack pulled his face into an exasperated grimace as he tried to keep his level of irritation under control. "Well, I was on my _**way**_ with him to Janet when we came out **here**...," he blurted out over General Hammond before hearing the General's tone take on a certain edge; tuning back in just soon enough to hear the words 'pulled him', Jack saw the glare and realized the direction the conversation had taken. Pressing his lips closed, Jack only opened them again to mutter a 'yessir' to what the General had said.

General Hammond leveled a look a Jack for a few minutes and then nodded before he turned on his heel and headed back towards his office.

Meanwhile in Jack's office, Daniel was still on the couch his knees drawn up to his chest and his head buried in his arms. Embarrassed tears had found their way down the teen's face the first few minutes after he fled to the office. He had calmed down since then, but was comfortable at the moment where he was. He hoped Jack would be back in soon and that he had gotten rid of everyone. Daniel felt his face flush again at the thought of facing the others when he had to.

"That went well," Jack mused sarcastically to himself as he watched General Hammond turn a corner and disappear. Turning abruptly, he ventured into the office to see how Daniel was doing. Standing there feeling a bit dumb after closing the door, Jack asked "Did you catch any of that?"as he thumbed towards the door.

Daniel looked up as he heard the door shut quietly. Dried tear stains were evident on his face. "Not really, I heard you yell, but not what you yelled," Daniel said. He was quiet for a few minutes and then asked, "They heard didn't they?" He turned and looked at Jack when he asked and had a feeling he knew what his answer would be.

"Well, there you go. I was yelling pretty loud out there, and you couldn't make out what I was saying. Maybe they didn't hear anything! Besides, they were worried about you – that's why they were there." Jack gave Daniel a smile, but was unsure whether the problem was solved and whether Daniel's nerves were settled. '_But,_' Jack thought, '_it's worth a shot._'

Daniel looked away and rested his chin on his arms, which were still wrapped around his legs. He was quiet for several minutes and then said quietly, "Maybe you're right." He was quiet for several more minutes and then asked, "So…I guess we're still going to see Janet?" He turned and looked at Jack again and upon seeing the smile, he gave a small smile of his own.

"You got it!" Jack responded cheerily as he opened the door so Daniel would get moving. "And I'll stay with ya the entire time!"

Daniel nodded and got up slowly off the couch. He walked past Jack into the hall and was pounced on again, this time by the very woman they were going to see. "H-hi Janet," he said nervously.


	3. Chapter 3: Doctor's Visit

Janet looked the teen up and down and nodded. "You should be nervous young man. I can't believe you ran from the infirmary, before I could fully see if you were alright. Young man, if you were mine I'd…oh hi Jack," Janet said once she notice Jack standing in the doorway of his office. "If you don't mind I'm going to take my recalcitrant patient back to the infirmary," she said as she grabbed Daniel by his upper arm.

Daniel went wide-eyed at this and looked at Jack.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! We talked about Daniel's behavior. It's...cool," Jack playfully groused, glaring at Janet with a hint of humor in his eyes. "We were just coming to see you, in fact. ...and I do mean _**we**_," Jack said as he shuffled himself between the two, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders before fixing Janet with a smile.

Janet stared at Jack a moment and then looked at Daniel. She smiled warmly at both of them and thought to herself, _`It's about time. These two really need each other and now the perfect presentation has presented itself.'_ She released Daniel and said, "Well good, I'm glad you were actually going to return. I'll be taking care of drawing the blood this time Daniel, since it was partially my fault that you ran. Now gentleman shall we?" she said cheerily.

"Like I have a choice," Daniel said good naturedly. He was relieved that Janet had taken it well.

Jack gave a happy nod and a blink in response to Janet; and as they set off for the infirmary, he gave a secret wink of triumph to Daniel. Once in the infirmary, Jack made himself busy by annoying Janet in attempts to amuse and distract Daniel. He juggled bandage tape while scatting circus music until, after he dropped them for the third time, Janet seized them on account that 'he was getting germs on them.' After sarcastically mouthing her own words at her behind her back for Daniel's eyes only, he then moved on to personally inspecting every shiny tool, making up uses for each and instructing Daniel in their proper implementation.

Daniel was glad to be able to walk to the infirmary under his own accord, well sorta, Jack did have his arm around his shoulders, but strangely enough it didn't bother him. Once back in the infirmary, Daniel sat down on one of the beds and waited for Janet to do her worst.

He found he could barely concentrate on what Janet was doing though when Jack started acting totally un-Jack like. Daniel found himself chuckling at the older man's antics. He even laughed as Janet scolded Jack when he dropped her things. Seeing Jack mouth the words at Janet's back, Daniel hid his face in his hands trying hard not to let Janet see him laugh. When Jack started making up names and usages of the different tools in Janet's office, Daniel actually had tears running down his cheeks he was laughing so hard. "Jack stop. Please," Daniel begged with laughter.

Janet quirked an eye in Daniel's direction and then quickly turned around and eyed Jack. As it appeared he hadn't been doing anything, she turned back to her patient who's back was still shaking with suppressed laughter. She rolled her eyes and ignored both of them. She wouldn't say it but she had been grateful for Jack's distractions as she had been able to draw several vials of blood completely unbeknownst to Daniel. "Alright, you're all done. Now please get him out of here before he causes any more damage," she said with a wink at Daniel.

"Who me?" Jack said in an innocent voice, trying to look hurt.

Janet merely took on a superior attitude and nodded before playfully saying, "Well, I need my patient _still_ for the CT scan and the MRI. If you can behave yourself, then you can stay."

Jack had a mock confused look on his face as he shrugged and shook his head before looking over at Daniel to see if he should stay, "Do you believe this, Daniel? Me, of all people, told to behave myself. Whatcha think of that?"

Daniel snorted at Jack when he tried the "Bambi" look on Janet. He smirked at Jack a moment later when Janet told him he had to behave. "Well, you were playing with her things, and while the "Bambi look" may work on the others, Janet doesn't buy it, she has a daughter," Daniel said as he had heard her repeat the quote numerous times to himself and others. He rolled his eyes and shook his head at Jack.

Janet snickered at Daniel throwing her own quote at Jack. She looked at Jack and asked, "So you think you can behave yourself?"

Jack gave Daniel a mock glare of betrayal and then looked back at Janet with feigned annoyance. "Ooooh, I suppose."

Janet gave Jack an amused glare and then said, "Ok, let's get started on the CT scan."

Once the CT scan and the MRI had been done, Daniel was ready to go to his apartment and be left alone for a while. Sure he hadn't minded hanging with Jack, even though part of that hanging out had been unpleasant, but he was ready to have time to himself and figure out how he was going to explain things to his landlord and his neighbors.

"Well, I guess you'll call me with the results right Janet?" Daniel asked.

Janet looked over at Daniel from where she was at talking to Jack and asked, "What are you talking about Daniel? Why would I call you?"

Daniel quirked an eyebrow, "Uhm, well maybe because I know the tests aren't ready and I'm tired. I'm gonna go home and like I said you can call me with the results," Daniel said politely knowing better than to cop an attitude with Janet.

Janet pursed her lips and looked at Jack. She hadn't heard the official word yet, but had made an educated guess that Daniel wasn't to go anywhere.

Jack, who had been quietly minding his own business and resorted to daydreaming so that the good doctor could do her work, noticed the look from Janet when the room had gone quiet. Immediately looking at Daniel, Jack saw that he was calm and in a good mood. Raising his eyebrow, Jack plowed ahead, "What's up, campers?"

"I told Janet that she could call me with the test results, because I was going home now," Daniel explained calmly once again. The look he received from Janet made him think he was gonna have to argue about that too. Daniel sighed heavily. That was something he didn't want to do again, he was tired of being treated like a kid simply because he looked like one now.

Janet looked at Jack and said, "No one said anything to me about Daniel being able to go back to his apartment alone when he was done here. Did I miss something important?" She asked as she narrowed her eyes at Jack.

Jack's eyes flitted between Janet and Daniel, realizing the general hadn't given an order just yet, only an opinion. "You? Naw. But I do think it's time to pay General Hammond a visit." Wanting to head off any more problems with Daniel, "Now Danny, try to be open to what he says, k?"

Jack's words made Daniel clench his jaw tightly. He closed his eyes and counted to ten in as many languages as he could think of. This didn't sound good at all, he was going to be made to leave his apartment he knew it. Jack's words all but confirmed it. He was going to be reasonable about this. He was going to quietly and calmly explain things to Janet and Jack and to the General if necessary, but when he opened his mouth to speak, quiet, calm and reasonable is not what came out.

"Well it seems as if things have already been decided. Why should I be open? It's not like I get a choice now is it? This isn't fair! I didn't ask for this and now everyone is treating me like a DAMN KID!" Daniel said, his voice getting louder and more agitated with each sentence until he was yelling at the end. Frustrated tears trickled down Daniel's face and he angrily brushed them away with the back of his hand. He flopped down on one of the beds, ran both his hands through his hair and pulled at it a bit, feeling helpless at stopping anything that was going to be decided for him.

"Excellent," Jack groused as he wiped his hand through his hair and down his face before fixing Daniel with an intense look. "Listen Daniel, imagine how it'd look to civilians, a fifteen year old driving around, living on his own – that's all. Nuthin' personal." Jack sat on the bed and put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "Now lets go talk about it. Heck, you can stay at my place if it's fine with Hammond," Jack stood and looked to see if Daniel would follow. Janet simply kept quiet, watching the two of them with a doctor's clinical eye.

When Daniel looked up and saw the look on Jack's face he immediately dropped his head back into his hand and muttered, "Great, now you're pissed at me again." He listened as Jack spoke and jumped at the unexpected touch to his shoulder. When he felt Jack get up, he looked up and saw Jack looking at him again. "If I were allowed to go to your place Jack, would you treat me like you normally would, or would you treat me like you see me now?" Daniel asked from where he remained on the bed.

Jack grinned, "Oh, I'll treat you like a kid – just like normal."

Daniel thought about this for a moment and then a smirk appeared on his face. "Perfect," was all he said. He got up ready to follow Jack and to see if his response elicited any comments from either Jack or Janet.

Jack laughed outright, glad that there would be no more trouble from Daniel as he clapped him on the back and walked to General Hammond's office. Janet bit back a laugh at their actions, and followed close behind, her doctor's curiosity peaked.


	4. Chapter 4 Reporting to the General

General Hammond's door was open, as usual. He sat signing some forms when he looked up and nodded the three of them in. "Feeling better?" he asked Daniel with a warm smile.

Daniel chuckled softly to himself. Jack had no idea what he just got himself into. He followed Jack amicably towards General Hammond's office. He was already plotting in his head and was actually surprised at how fast they had made it to the General's office.

"Yes sir," Daniel answered cheerfully. The earlier embarrassment already forgotten. He plonked himself down in a chair and waited for the questions and what have you to begin.

Janet was rather surprised at Daniel's sudden change in behavior. Something was up as Daniel now looked like the cat that got the cream and the canary all at once. She replayed the conversation he and Jack had just had and couldn't find what was wrong with it.

"Well, that's good to hear Daniel," General Hammond smiled.

"Just write it up to the old O'Neill charm, sir," Jack sarcastically bragged, folding his arms as he smiled at everyone in the room.

Janet and Daniel both snorted at that comment and upon hearing it General Hammond laughed. "Seems the feeling isn't mutual Colonel O'Neill," he said after a minute.

Jack's eyes shifted back and forth between the three of them in irritation, "Oy!"

Daniel smiled at the General and said, "Thank you sir, I got some good news so I have a reason to be very well at the moment."

General Hammond ignored Jack and asked, "Oh, and what news would that be?"

"Just that if I have to stay with Jack, he's gonna act like he normally does," Daniel said.

Janet was still trying to see what it was about that statement that was now bothering her.

Jack's eyes shot to Daniel in shock and confusion. But just as he opened his mouth, the general spoke.

"Ah, I see," General Hammond said, quietly laughing a bit.

"Now hold on! I don't," Jack yelled, getting feisty.

"Just remember son that, if you do choose to stay with Jack over staying on base, he will be in charge – so try not to cause too much trouble," Hammond said over Jack, enjoying the bantering.

"Hey! Would someone like to enlighten me as to what he meant?" Jack said indignantly.

Janet began to chuckle as she realized what Daniel had meant. The frustration that Jack didn't know was also amusing. She decided she wasn't going to be the one who told him. He could figure it out on his own.

Daniel ignored Jack for the moment and addressed the General again. "Oh I won't sir, as long as Jack sticks to his word," Daniel said with a grin. When he heard Janet chuckle he realized she had figured out what was going on, but wasn't going to "enlighten" Jack either.

Jack glared at everyone in the room, deciding to stay quiet for the moment in order to not provide them with anything else to laugh about.

General Hammond looked at the three of them and smiled again. "Now Daniel, we do need to go over what is expected of you as soon as we get your test results back. I take it the results are being run now, doctor?"

Janet nodded an affirmation to Hammond's question, "They should be ready within the hour, sir."

"Well, for now you need to stay on base then, ok Daniel?" Hammond asked.

General Hammond's comment made Daniel frown. "What do you mean what's expected of me? I already know what's expected of me. Nothing's changed except my appearance and height. I can still do my regular job," Daniel said having a feeling this conversation was going to go somewhere he didn't want it to. "...Fine I'll stay on base, but I'd like to go to my office and be alone for a while," he said trying to keep his voice polite.

Jack was about to chide Daniel, but was hushed by the raising of General Hammond's hand.

"That's fine, Daniel. We'll call you back when Dr. Frasier has your test scores then. You're free to go," Hammond smiled pleasantly as he spoke.

Daniel nodded and stood to leave and then cast a glance back at Jack. He shook his head and left after a soft goodbye to Janet. He made his way to his office, shut the door, and laid on the couch in there. He lay curled on his side and finally drifted off to sleep, something he'd been wanting to do since they came back through the gate.

Jack watched Daniel leave, "That went surprisingly well, sir. ...now really, what was darn so funny?"

"I agree with Jack. I thought Daniel would put up a little more of a fight. Of course then you didn't answer the first part of his question sir. I'm sure it'll come up again," Janet said. She looked at Jack and smirked at his question.

"Let's just say Jack that when it comes to teenagers, you have to be extremely careful at how you word things around them. You'll find out what you did wrong after one day with Daniel," she said still not quite answering Jack's question.

"The boy looked tired and I suspect that you're right and he will question me again about it. As for it going well, I believe Daniel knew just how far to push things at the moment, given what happened a little bit ago," Hammond said as he gave a knowing look at Jack.

Janet looked at the two men. "Oh? And what happened?" she asked.

Jack shot a sideways glance at General Hammond, not wanting to say what he'd done to Daniel. "Like I said – we....talked about it. Let's just say I made an impression on Daniel of what I thought about how he was acting." Jack gave a tight smile, certain that his cryptic words would never be unraveled.

Janet smiled at Jack's choice of words. "Jack I have a teenager at home, I know how to delicately word things as well. Sometimes a well placed hand is just what they need," she said with a pat to Jack's shoulder. "Alright gentlemen, I'll leave you two to discuss whatever else needs to be said while I go back to the infirmary and wait for Daniel's tests," Janet said as she turned and left the office.

Jack was flabbergasted. Not only had Janet figured out his carefully worded reply, but she admitted to doing the same thing with her daughter. Before he knew it, she had excused herself from the room. Moving only his eyes to General Hammond, Jack waited for the questions to begin, hoping the General's good mood would continue.

General Hammond chuckled softly at the look on Jack's face after Janet's words. Once she was gone though, he grew more serious and cleared his throat. "Alright Colonel, now explain to me about the object pulling Daniel in. You initially told me that Daniel touched it of his own accord. Are you now saying that you lied to me about that?" Hammond asked fixing Jack with a stern glare.

Jack was instantly irate at the insinuation that he'd lied, and it showed on his face. But he remembered with whom he was speaking and, after a few moments, he collected himself and replied, "No, I didn't 'lie,' I unknowingly passed on misinformation. ...sir."

"I see. You weren't there with him when he touched it? The way it sounded when you explained it the first time was that you were there and saw him touch it. Who passed on this misinformation to you?" General Hammond asked.

Jack released a puff of air at the question, thinking 'He's not gonna like _this_.' "Ah – I did. I guess. ...it was all really confusing, actually. Sir." Jack looked at General Hammond and then realized he should explain further. "The Gantha took us on a tour to admire all their greatness – you know, real _boring_ stuff ..nothing useful – and then we noticed Daniel was gone. Snuck off. Like usual. The Ganthas spazzed out, went running, we followed and saw Daniel laying next to this glowing tablet. He complained about feeling like he'd been hit by a bus, but otherwise seemed ok – besides his body reverting to the age of about fifteen. Those snooty Gantha acted like everything was normal, but Carter got them to agree to try and find a way to reverse it. After I had – well, you heard what I did to him in the office – he told me the tablet pulled him to it. That he couldn't help it." Jack nodded, indicating that Hammond now knew everything he did.

General Hammond remained fairly quiet during Jack's explanation, making the appropriate noises here and there. He shook his head when Jack mentioned Daniel wandering off as usual. He had been told that quite a bit. The young man never could stay where he was supposed to. To his comment about the Gantha, Hammond said, "Perhaps they acted that way because to them it is normal, but it is good they will try to find a way to reverse Daniel. Speaking of, yes I heard what you did. Are you sure that he wasn't just saying it pulled him towards it to keep out of trouble?"

Jack watched General Hammond from under his eyebrows as he talked, happy to see he was again on good terms with the older man. "Nah, Daniel isn't a liar. And...I think it best that Daniel doesn't know anyone heard what happened in the office, sir."

General Hammond nodded. "I wouldn't say a word about it to him. I know he's not a liar Jack, but I know from experience that teenagers sometimes tell half truths to keep their tails out of trouble. Just keep an eye on him and don't let him pull things over on you. Teenagers can be quite crafty when they want to and with Daniel we have a thirty year old in the body of a fifteen year old. He will be even more crafty," Hammond told him with a smile.

"Excellent," Jack said as he let his head drop slightly. "Permission to call you at any hour, sir?...*if* Daniel does decide to stay with me."

General Hammond laughed at Jack and nodded. "Of course Jack. And what do you mean if? It seems Daniel is ecstatic about going with you, especially since you will be treating him as he's used to being treated there," General Hammond said with a smirk as he thought about the conversation with Daniel earlier.

"Yea, I suppose so. Thanks General," Jack said, giving the General a smile. "Hopefully Daniel will be back to his old self soon, when did you want to check with the Ganthas?"

"You're welcome Colonel. We should give them a week at least. I would say a day, but for beings who apparently use it for de-ageing, they may need more time to figure out how to make it age someone," Hammond told him.

Jack blew out a gust of air, "Alrighty. Well, I'm gonna go bug Janet about those results." As usual, he ignored typical Air Force protocol and excused himself without waiting for Hammond's dismissal.


	5. Chapter 5: Put In His Place

Sam saw Jack walking down the corridor towards the infirmary. "Sir! I wanted to apologize about earlier. Is Daniel ok?" Sam asked as she followed closely behind a still-walking Jack.

"Oh, I'd say so. Danny Boy's put himself down for a little nap," Jack smiled sarcastically. "I'm on my way to bug Janet, wanna come?"

Sam quirked an eyebrow at that. "And how do you know Daniel went to take a nap? He could be just hiding from you sir," Sam said and smirked. "Sure I'll come along. What are we bugging Janet for anyway?"

Jack stopped and turned towards Sam at the good natured jab, "Because he told me so, that's how! Ol' Danny and I are on good terms again," Jack said while playfully waggling his finger at Sam as he began walking once more. "It seems your esteemed team leader – moi – was able to walk Daniel through his tests. We're going to bug Janet to rush the results of said tests. Capiche?"

"Uh huh, I'm sure Daniel walked right up to you and told you he was going to take a nap. I think you're just assuming he's off taking a nap," Sam said. She rolled her eyes at Jack's bragging. "Did General Hammond have anything to say about when we would be able to contact the Ganthas about fixing Daniel?"

An irritated 'Bah!' was barked in reply to Sam's insinuations about Daniel as Jack waved what she'd said away as though it were an annoying gnat. To her question he said, "Funny you should ask, he thinks a week'll do."

"Really, only a week? That would be nice," she said.

Reaching the infirmary, a nurse came with a glint in her eye to see what they wanted. Jack put up his hands defensively, "Ah-ah, stand down, you won't have your way with us today – we're here for Dr. Frasier, ya seen her?"

Looking slightly disappointed, she replied, "I'll get her. ...but your immunizations are due next week, Colonel O'Neill, no more delays."

Looking at Sam out of the corner of his eye as the nurse walked into a back room, Jack said "That one is just a bit too needle happy."

Sam glared at the nurse when she came forth with that unnatural gleam in her eye. She nodded at Jack. "That she is. I'd rather have Janet any ol' day," Sam stated.

"Have me for what Sam?" Janet asked as she approached them.

"Oh uhm nothing." Sam said a little too quickly. "Jack wanted to see you. " She said diverting the attention from herself.

Biting his lip so as not to smirk, Jack leveled Sam with an amused look before coughing and looking back at Janet. "Where're those tests results, doc?"

Janet gave a curious glance towards Sam who was trying desperately not to look at anyone. She then looked at Jack and decided she didn't want to know that badly. "I actually have them back here in my office. They look very good. Other than being inside a fifteen year old's body, Daniel is perfectly fine. I did notice something quite interesting though. His brain patterns are mimicking those of a fifteen year old, but it has his thirty year old brain patterns as well, which probably explains his spurts of teenage like behavior." Janet explained as she lead the way towards her office near the back of the infirmary.

"Excellent. Well, now what?" Jack groused, but quickly corrected, "I'm glad he's ok and all – its just that sounds like a recipe for disaster."

Sam's eyes widened at Jack's outburst and was about to say something when he continued. She looked at Janet to see what she had to say.

Janet laughed at Jack's words. "As for what now, we wait until the Ganthas find out a way to age Daniel or someone becomes his guardian and takes care of him until he's of age again," Janet said as she looked at Jack and Sam.

Sam glanced at Jack and wondered what he would say to that.

Jaw dropped to the floor, Jack stared at Janet dumbfounded. He hadn't really considered a possible outcome in which Daniel's age wouldn't be restored. Finding his voice, Jack shook his head – smiling as though Janet had suggested something obscene, "Now, now we've been through worse before. Remember? ...remember when the nannys aged me in the food on Argos?"

"You mean nanites sir," Sam cut in.

"Yea – that's it – piece of cake. Everything was fine," Jack motioned to himself as proof. Looking at Sam, "Maybe we should talk to Hammond about you going to assist the Gantha."

"Yes, in that case it was Jack, but in Daniel's case it may be different. Really now, would it be so bad if Daniel got to act like a teenager for a bit? I don't think he'd mind having someone who actually cared for him either. Some of those…nevermind, " Janet said shutting her mouth and praying Jack wouldn't pry, but knowing Jack he would.

Sam hadn't been paying attention to Janet and was still staring at Jack. "I don't know if they would consider it an insult or not sir. I would think General Hammond would ask them about it before just sending me there, sir."

"Ahhh," Jack said to Sam as he waved a hand comically at her to quiet her for a moment. "Out with it doc."

"Sorry Jack I can't. Doctor/Patient confidentiality. If you want to know ask Daniel yourself, but I will not betray his trust Jack," Janet said sternly with a look that booked no argument.

Jack quirked an eyebrow at Janet, "Ah well, we wouldn't want the good doctor to do that." Thinking for a moment, "No, I suppose giving Daniel the teen years he missed out on could be a good thing. Besides, I've been meaning to go more gray anyway. ….well, let's all pay the General another visit."

Janet and Sam looked at each other and snickered at Jack's comment about going gray. They both shared a smile though at his comment about Daniel.

"It really could sir. He needs to have more fun," Sam said.

"Well I guess I don't mind walking back down there and sharing the medical report. Lead the way Colonel," Janet said trying to get the other two moving.

It took only a minute or so to get to Hammond's office. Jack knocked on the open door, to which General Hammond replied, "Back again, Jack?"

"Yes sir, Frasier here has that report for you, and Carter has a suggestion to make," Jack said, smiling at them both to speak for themselves as Hammond nodded at each of them, setting his pen down.

The women glared at Jack, but then Sam's turned to a look of confusion. She wasn't sure what her suggestion was so she motioned for Janet to go first.

Janet shook her head and stepped forward with the records. "Daniel is perfectly healthy sir except for he's in a fifteen year old body. Like I told Jack his brain pattern is interesting. It's mimicking the patterns of a fifteen-year- old, but he also has his normal brain patterns as well," Janet told the general.

Sam noticed all eyes were on her now. She swallowed and said, "I uh…I don't know what suggestion he's talking about sir. Unless he's talking about his own suggestion sir."

Jack shook his head irritatedly, "Carter! ….geez." Looking at the General, "Wouldn't it be – prudent – sir, to send Carter to help the Ganthas? Her help in alien technology has always gotten us to a solution before."

General Hammond nodded. "Yes that could be quite helpful, I will get in touch with them and see if the help will be appreciated. They may not want Carter there and if we send Carter without prior notification, they may see it as an insult and refuse to help us at all," Hammond said.

Sam looked at Jack with a smug expression. "That's exactly what I told him sir," she stated as she looked at Jack.

Jack gave Carter a sulking glare before turning back to Hammond, "I'm just sayin'...without Carter there, I'm not so sure this'll ever get fixed."

Hammond raised an eyebrow. "I will do what I can, Jack. I cannot force them to accept help if they don't want it, especially if they see it as an insult," Hammond told them.

Carter bit back the grin that wanted to spring forward.

"Alright, since I'm not needed here any more I'm going back to the infirmary," Janet said as she turned to leave the room.

"Do what you can, sir? Pardon me, but why would we be scared of stepping on toes when one of our own's life is involved?!" Jack barked back, "This is Daniel we're talking about, sir."

Janet and Sam both winced at Jack's words.

"Excuse me Colonel, but I don't believe Janet said that Daniel's life was at risk. You can bet if this was life threatening I would already have Carter on that planet making sure the Ganthas were doing everything they could. So don't start telling me what exactly I should be doing!" the General shouted at the end as he stared at Jack.

"Suggesting – I was '_suggesting_' sir," Jack said, making a placating motion with his hands, knowing he should back peddle but not really wanting to. Taking an exaggerated sigh, Jack thought before saying, "I just don't trust those Gantha. They're snooty."

"Really Colonel? It sure didn't sound like you were suggesting, especially since you were shouting at me. I understand that this is Daniel we're talking about. I'm extremely fond of the boy and I would hate for anything more to happen to him. As for right now though, he is fine. The Ganthas may be snooty Jack, but then our mannerisms may not seem all that much better to them. So let's take this one step at a time, alright?" the General said his voice more calm.

Jack glanced at the General with shifty eyes from under his lowered head, "Yea fine. Whatever, sir. ...I, for one, am gonna make damn sure things go down right. Nothing else is happening to him, and what has happened is getting fixed."

Janet, Sam and General Hammond shared an amused and knowing look over Jack's bowed head. "Alright, now that that's all settled, I'm going back to the infirmary. Sam, you wanna come with me and leave the men to their testosterone? " Janet asked.

"Definitely, " Sam said and after a nod from the general, she followed Janet out of the office.

Jack glared sideways at Janet for the comment and shot Sam a surprised look as though she'd committed mutiny before huffing. As the women left, Jack risked a glance at Hammond before shooting his eyes back to the ground and grimacing.

Once they were alone, Hammond stared at Jack for a few minutes. As the minutes ticked by slowly, Jack began to fidget under the General's gaze.

"Look Jack, we're going to do everything possible to get Daniel back to his rightful age. Now maybe you ought to go check on him," Hammond said.

Jack felt like a jerk for back talking and doubting Hammond, who'd always gone out of his way for the entire SG-1 team. Meeting his eye, Jack nodded sullenly, "Yes sir."

General Hammond nodded at Jack and thought to himself that Jack looked like a repentant young man at the moment, though he would never dream of telling Jack that. "Alright Colonel, you're dismissed. Why don't you two take off for the rest of the day as well?"

Meanwhile in Daniel's office, Daniel was slowly waking up. He sat up and stretched. "Man that was the craziest dream," Daniel muttered out loud to himself. He felt a dull ache in his backside and groaned. "Damn it wasn't a dream." He sat there on the couch with his head in his hands wondering what he was to do now.

Jack's lip twitched as he got a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "Oh, I think that's a great idea sir." Nodding at his general, he quickly took leave of the office and quickly walked to Daniel's office.


	6. Chapter 6: Preparations

Not wanting to upset him, Jack decided to play it safe and knock – which he did before peaking into the room. "Ooooh Daniel, you up yet?" Jack whispered as he peaked around the door.

Daniel looked up at the knock and when he saw Jack enter, he gave a weak smile. "Yeah I'm up. I was kinda hoping this had all been a bad dream, but apparently it wasn't. Have you heard from Janet yet?" Daniel asked as he remained sitting on the couch.

Jack plopped down on the couch next to Daniel as he nodded at the bad dream comment. Looking at all the artifacts hanging on the way as he replied to the question with "Uh huh."

Daniel looked at him expectantly. "Well what did she say?" He asked in an exasperated tone.

Jack turned his head quickly towards Daniel and blinked, "Oh, right … you're healthy. You just have the brainwaves of both a teen and an adult. You should talk to her about it, she's the doctor."

Daniel nodded. "I'm good. Not that I don't like Janet and all but I've had enough of the infirmary today. I just wish I could go home," Daniel said not mentioning that he was also starving. He heard his stomach start to rumble and tried to cover. "Hey Jack I'm gonna go get some coffee you want some?" he asked as he stood up and stretched cracking his back in the process.

Jack's eyebrows went up, "Oh hey – we have the rest of the day off now. We can go to your place and get some of your stuff.... Maybe we should go eat first." Jack gestured towards Daniel's stomach.

"Really? That's great. Nah we don't have to stop anywhere I'll just grab some coffee and I'll be good to go," Daniel said as he began making a mental list of all the things he wanted grab from his apartment.

Jack stared at him blandly, "Well, I'm hungry and I wanna eat. Humor me, will ya?" Bounding up from the couch, he clapped a hand on Daniel's shoulder before preceding him out of the door. "Wanna eat here or somewhere else? ….say, ribs sound good. I know a barbeque place."

Daniel not big on eating all that much at the base or at his apartment shrugged. A cup of coffee and usually a snack from the vending machine was enough to keep him going for a while. "Sure Jack, whatever sounds good to you," he answered nonchalantly.

Jack stopped abruptly and looked incredulously at Daniel. "Ribs, Daniel, ribs ...and I'm not even the one barbequing them, so they won't be burnt! ….unless you'd rather eat something else. Italian? Mexican? Chinese? American?"

"No ribs are fine Jack. Just fine. I bet they have some good side items to go with them, too," Daniel said falling back into old habits from his youth of going with the flow and not rocking the boat. It kept him in the good graces of whomever he was with at the time.

It just wasn't in Jack's nature to let something go, "Fine? …._Fine_, Daniel?! Where's your excitement? Where's your gusto for life?!" Jack flung his arms around excitedly as he spoke, "If ribs aren't doing it for ya, just say so. We've had a hard day – we need a great meal. What's gonna do that?"

Daniel had no clue what to say to that. He wasn't sure what Jack wanted of him. "It's just food Jack. It's nothing to get excited over," Daniel said taking a few steps back away from Jack. "I'm happy with whatever you want to have Jack really."

Realizing he was scaring the kid, Jack looked at the ground and sighed. After a moment he slunk his arm around Daniel's shoulders. "Clearly steak is called for...twice baked potatoes, nice vegetable on the side to ignore. C'mon, there's plenty to get excited about when it comes to food. I know just the place."

"Sounds good Jack," Daniel said trying to muster up some excitement to please Jack. His stomach rumbled with agreement. The arm around his shoulders felt comforting and he enjoyed it. He looked at Jack and asked, "Do you think we could…oh wait never mind nothing would fit. I guess we'll have to go shopping for a couple pairs of clothes."

"Yea, I was gonna suggest we do that on the way to dinner," Jack answered, looking Daniel up and down. Once they were in the elevator that led to the earth's surface Jack asked, "Where do you shop?"

"Uhm well I just go to the cheapest store I can and pick up whatever's on sale. I'll just nab a pair of jeans, a shirt and something to sleep in. I'm sure I won't need anything else," Daniel said. "Oh we will have to stop by my apartment so I can grab some more money."

Jack pressed his lips together and nodded. "Daniel, I can get this – and we aren't going to the cheapest store. You've been through enough, you can at least be comfortable in and like what you're wearing." Exiting the elevator, going through security and walking to his truck, Jack said ruefully, "Maybe a mall would be best. Big selection."

"Cheap is comfortable and Jack you don't have to I have money. I don't want to be a burden on you while I'm like this," Daniel said as he walked around to the other side of Jack's truck. He knew that being a burden to someone didn't exactly bring out the best in people and he wanted to keep in good standing with Jack by being as little trouble as possible. Maybe he should just stay on base. Yeah maybe he should just tell Jack that after the mall that way jack wouldn't have to bother with him.

Shaking his head as he climbed into his truck, Jack replied, "Daniel, knock it off! I know damn well that isn't true – and unless this is an independence thing, I'd like to get the clothes for you. Let me take care of you, alright?"

Daniel climbed into the truck and when Jack yelled to knock it off, Daniel hunched his shoulders and ducked his head as if expecting to get hit. Of course Jack had never hit him before but he had been an adult then, he was a kid now, and that made a difference. When nothing happened, Daniel slowly straightened up and put his seat belt on. He stared at Jack a moment and finally nodded. "Ok Jack, if that's what you want," Daniel responded. "If you want to, after the mall, you can just bring me back here to the base and I'll sleep and eat here so I won't disrupt anything you might have going on," Daniel said after a few minutes of silence.

Jack was shocked and frozen in place as his mind registered what Daniel had just done. After a few moments he was finally able to move and speak, asking gently, "Danny, why did you duck?"

_Shit!_ Daniel thought to himself. _Jack wasn't supposed to have noticed that. What do I say? What do I say? _ Daniel rapidly thought. "Oh it's just a habit from climbing into your truck is all. I used to have to duck my head. Guess I don't have to now, huh?" Daniel said and grinned, praying to God Jack bought it.

"Nooo, no that's not it. You ducked after you were already in. You ok, buddy?" Jack had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly why Daniel had ducked, but was hoping it wasn't true. "You do realize there is only one place that I'm ever going to smack, and that you'll have plenty of warning before it comes to that – right?"

Daniel looked away from Jack. He stared out the truck window and refused to answer. He didn't want to talk about it. He gave a slight nod though, knowing Jack would expect at least some kind of response.

Jack sighed and looked down before looking back at Daniel. "Not your favorite topic, I guess." Chewing his lip for a few seconds, "So, who's head do I need to knock in?"

Daniel glanced over at Jack for a minute and shrugged, then went back to looking out the truck window. Jack was right about one thing, this was a topic he didn't like.

Quirking his mouth in curiosity Jack asked, "Just so we're clear, whoever did this to you is an evil little bastard – got it? I'm not whoever that was, ok?" He at least had to make sure Daniel understood that much before letting it go …. for now.

As much as he fought it, Daniel couldn't help the small smile that appeared at Jack`s words. He nodded at Jack. "Yeah Jack," he said softly and looked at him. He relaxed against the door and said, "Well let's go already, remember I'm hungry." He gave a genuine grin at Jack.

Jack smiled in relief, "You got it." Driving off the base and traveling mostly in silence, they were soon at the mall. Parking the truck and getting out Jack said, "Ok Danny, let's get you some clothes."

Daniel looked at the mall before him and groaned. He hated malls but he figured he could tough it out. They were already here. "Let's just find the closest shop and get the hell outta here," Daniel said as he got out and shut the door.

"Well, at least we both feel the same way about malls," Jack smirked. Looking at Daniel, "Piece of cake, c'mon." Jack led Daniel into the GAP, as it was the closest store that wasn't cheap. Raising his eyebrows at Daniel, Jack looked around comically and waved off help, "Will any of this do, Danny boy?"

Daniel looked around and zeroed in on exactly what he wanted. "Sure Jack. You wait right here," Daniel said with a smirk. He walked over and grabbed a couple of gray T-shirts, a couple of pairs of drawstring pants, also gray. He then walked over swiped a couple of pairs of easy fit jeans, when he walked over to the plaid shirts, he wrinkled his nose and went back over to the T-shirts and grabbed a few more. He was about to walk back over to Jack, but realized he needed some boxers and socks. He grabbed the cheapest ones and marched back over to Jack. "Ok I'm done," Daniel said and smirked. He had still made sure what he got was cheap but that it was also comfortable.

Jack looked suspiciously at Daniel's smirk and then down at the clothing, "Those better not have all come from the bargain bin – hey, why are they all gray?"

"They didn't," Daniel answered honestly, not mentioning he made sure to get the cheapest type of each one though. "There's nothing wrong with gray and if you drop food on it it's not as noticeable as white," Daniel told him.

Jack made a face at the gray clothes, "Well, if that's what you want..." remembering Daniel's present state of mind he smiled, "...then that's fine with me." He motioned Daniel towards the register as he walked there himself and smiled at the checkout girl.

Daniel stared at the clothes in his arms a minute wondering if he should just go back and trade out a couple of the shirts. Daniel hesitated slightly as Jack motioned him towards the register and made his way over. "I-I can trade out a couple of the shirts Jack. Maybe blue would be okay?" Daniel asked hoping to figure out what color Jack would prefer he wore.

Jack held up his hand, "Calm down, Danny, wear what you want – those are fine - I'm just glad that they aren't all black. Now _that_ would worry me." He then gave Daniel a sly smirk to drive the point home.

Daniel nodded, but still gave a glance back over towards the shirts. He looked back at Jack and gave a slight smile. "Ok Jack," he said. He made a mental not to buy anything black while he was a kid, though hopefully it wouldn't be too, long.

"Daniel – you remember what jokes are, right?" Jack asked as he paid for the clothing. "How 'bout you go change so we can go eat – this nice young lady said you can use a dressing room if you'd like," Jack smiled.

"Sure Jack," Daniel said as he grabbed one of the bags, pulled out a full set of clothes and headed towards the dressing room. When he came out a few minutes later, he looked more relaxed. "This is much better," Daniel said as he dropped off what he had been wearing in one of the bags.

Jack smiled and nodded his approval. "Now, we eat!" Jack said, pointing straight up in the air before leading Daniel back to the truck with great purpose. "We are gonna have the best steak this city can offer, with all sorts of unhealthy sides that'd make Frasier cringe!"

"That sounds great, along with a nice cold beer to wash it down," Daniel said as he climbed in the truck and put his belt on. He was actually looking forward to eating now and it seemed like the thirty year old part of his brain was kicking in now.

Jack had been ready to turn the key when he stopped and stared at Daniel to see if he was joking, "Uh....Daniel....look in the mirror. No one is going to serve you a beer right now. If it makes you feel better, I won't have one either."

Daniel was quiet several minutes. Finally nodded. "You're right, nah go ahead, I'll just sneak some of yours," Daniel said knowing full well Jack most likely wouldn't go for that either, but hey no harm in trying.

"No, we aren't going to do that," Jack said a little more firmly. "Either of us. I'm trying to be fair here, ok?"

"Fine Jack," Daniel said as he stared out the window and rolled his eyes. Jack was such a hard ass sometimes. "I'll just get coffee," he stated.

"C'mon Danny," Jack said, suddenly realizing how worn out all of this was making him. "Don't be that way," he said as he focused on driving. "Let's have a nice, relaxing time, k? We've both earned it."

Daniel rubbed his hand over his face, and then realized what he was doing. Jack was definitely rubbing off on him. "Look Jack, I wasn't trying to be a pain about it ok? I figured you wouldn't let me have any. I was just messing with you. Like I said I'll get coffee, you need to learn to relax Colonel," Daniel said with a smirk.

Jack's eyes flitted from the road over to Daniel with a sudden amused gleam while he tried not to smirk. Looking back at the road, "I need to learn to relax? ME?! I wrote the book on relaxing." Thinking for a few seconds, "You know, me being your guardian and all, I guess I can finally get you to go fishing. You'll love it: no books, no computer – just the outdoors and our very own pond."

"You did? I highly doubt that Jack," Daniel said as he scoffed at the idea. Upon hearing what Jack had in mind next, Daniel groaned and made a face. "Ugh Jack fishing? Really? How about I'll go fishing, but I'll read a book and you can fish," Daniel said still not in love with the idea.

Pulling into the restaurant parking lot he shot Daniel a big smile, "You really need to learn to relax. Have you ever been fishing, Daniel? You might just like it."

"Me? Reading a book is relaxing. How can it not be? And no I've never been fishing, but I used to hear other kids, when I was actually younger, talk about it. You get up at inane hours to sit in a boat with your pole in the water praying you actually catch something. Not really my idea of fun Jack," Daniel told him wrinkling his nose once again. He stomach suddenly rumbled at the slight waft of food he could smell coming from the restaurant.

Jack grinned at what Daniel had said, but didn't respond until after being seated by the hostess. Opening the menu pointing out his favorite to Daniel and then quickly flipping the menu closed again, Jack said, "No boat, just my dock fifteen feet from my cabin door. But, if it's really not your thing..." Jack shrugged nonchalantly. He'd long ago gotten used to no one else wanting to fish with him, and he found it quite amusing. "Now, I don't want you ordering something cheap here. Get something good, ok?"

Daniel glanced at the menu when Jack pointed out what he was getting and nodded. He thought about what Jack said and asked, "What about getting up at inane hours? I'm not really a morning person Jack," he stated. Sitting on a dock didn't really sound bad. When the waitress came back over Daniel ordered his first stating the same thing he'd seen Jack point out. When she asked how he wanted the steak cooked, he said, "Medium will do fine and bring me a coffee, too please."

"Nope. No 'inane' hours. There's no need," Jack ordered after Daniel, smiling that the de-aged man had ordered something good, but he raised his arm to keep the waitress there. Looking at Daniel, "Is coffee gonna keep you awake all night? Would you rather have water or something?"

"I'm fine Jack I want coffee," Daniel said. He looked at the waitress and gave one of his charming smiles, forgetting he looked only fifteen. "I'll take coffee Miss," he said again and hoped Jack would just let her go. Jack had never had a problem with him drinking coffee before and he'd better not now because he would make a scene if he had to.

Jack lowered his hand and nodded at the waitress. When she had walked away Jack said, "Alright, but I don't want you bouncing off the walls all night. If that happens, no more coffee after breakfast. Got it?"

Daniel glared at Jack. "I have never bounced off the walls after drinking coffee Jack. You should know that," Daniel groused. His friend was getting on his nerves at the moment and he couldn't understand what Jack's problem was.

"Daniel, enough with the attitude," Jack said firmly. "I just meant that you should watch it, you haven't had any coffee since the accident, and we don't know how it'll affect you."

"Jack I started drinking coffee at fifteen, it has never affected me by making me bounce off the walls no matter when I drank it. I'm fine. You said you were going to treat me normally Jack. You grousing at me about drinking coffee is not normal," Daniel said trying to keep his temper in check.

Jack gave Daniel a sarcastic warning look, "It's an expression, Daniel! I wasn't grousing, I was asking." Smirking, Jack added, "And I am treating you like normal, you _**are**_ irritated with what I said, aren't you?"

Daniel closed his eyes and counted to ten. He nodded at Jack but didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what was going to come out of his mouth and he had no inclination to feel the flat of Jack's hand again today. Just as he was about to speak again, the waitress came with their drinks. Daniel thanked the woman, wrapped both hands around the mug and breathed in the aroma with his eyes closed. He released the mug without taking a drink and then began adding cream and sugar. He finally took a drink and made a noise of pure enjoyment.

Smiling, Jack asked, "Good coffee?"

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, really good coffee," Daniel said as he took another drink.

Jack grinned, glad that Daniel seemed – for the moment – subdued and happy. The two enjoyed small talk, and before long their meals arrived. "Dig in," Jack said picking up his knife and fork eagerly.

He didn't need to be told twice. The food smelled wonderful and his stomach growled loudly. Daniel dug in and then after a few bites began to separate his food into sections, making sure nothing touched. He then proceeded to take a bite of everything. It was an odd habit but hey everyone had their quirks. He took a long drink off coffee and then motioned the waitress over for a refill. "You were right Jack the food is great," he said after a minute.

Jack was waiting to see if Daniel would still – like usual – separate his foods. 'There it is,' Jack thought to himself as he ate his own food, trying to keep his smirk to a minimum. "Yea, well, I didn't think it'd be right to make you eat one of my steaks after such a hard day," Jack said sardonically, referring to his own propensity for burning barbeque.

Daniel flicked his eyes up for a moment and caught the smirk and realized what Jack was looking at. He rolled his eyes and didn't say anything. He snorted at Jack's words. "Well thank God for small favors. I don't mind a well done steak every once in a while but, Cajun style just isn't my thing." Daniel went back to making sure everything was separate again and then scooping a bit of each on his fork. Everyone that saw him do it couldn't figure out why he separated his food and then put a bite of everything in his mouth together.

"Well, at least you didn't call it charcoal style," Jack said as he took another bite of steak. Seeing Daniel again fuss over his food, Jack couldn't hold back the curiosity – mostly because Sam wasn't there to shake her head no as he was about to ask as she did at every meal on base. "Ok, what's with the eating style?"

Daniel smirked at Jack. He had been thinking that but he didn't want to be completely rude about it. He was about to take another bite of food when Jack asked his question. Daniel took the bite and while he chewed he thought about what to say. He stared at Jack and said, "I don't like my food to touch."

"Yeees," Jack said, "but you put them all together in your mouth." Jack jerked his head and shoulders in a questioning motion, eager to have a reason for this. "Why?"

"It tastes good that way." Daniel took another bite and cocked his head. He wondered why Jack wanted to know.

"Oh, well, who am I to argue then?" Jack said a matter-of-factly, and returned to eating his own steak.

Daniel stared at him a minute. "That's it? Why did you want to know?" He'd never known Jack to let something go that quickly.

Jack shrugged, "Curious." He tried to go back to eating his steak, leaving it at that, but Daniel's prompting squashed that. Tossing his fork down, and getting that look on his face that typically got snorts and giggles from his team he asked, "Then why do you separate them? It's the same thing!"

"Why? Well if it gets smushed together on the plate it doesn't look very good after a while. Would you want to eat something that looked disgusting on your plate?" Daniel asked. He tried to cover the amusement on his face at the look on Jack's.

Jack's eyes nearly popped out of his head, "Yeah! Yeah I would." Even though he saw the grin on Daniel's face, he wasn't able to hold back, thinking the answer completely obvious as he took another bite of his steak.

Daniel made a face. "Well see that's where you and I differ, I prefer to actually have food that looks good besides tasting good. If it looks like someone threw up on my plate I sure in the hell ain't gonna eat it," Daniel quipped. The fifteen-year- old part of his brain began to take over his mouth once more. Daniel went back to eating not even noticing what he had really said.

"Well, I prefer to have food that looks good too, but I'm still gonna eat it regardless ...not that my food lasts long enough on my plate to get funky looking," Jack said thoughtfully. "Hey, and try to watch your mouth. You didn't cuss before, just because you look like a teen doesn't mean it's a good time to start."

Daniel rolled his eyes at Jack's first statement and went back to eating the way he had been. Every time his food got even close to touching he scooted it away from each other and took another bite of everything. He jerked his head up at Jack's second statement and scowled. "What are you talking about Jack? I didn't say anything wrong," Daniel growled.

By this point, Jack just wanted to enjoy his meal. "You did – but let's not worry about that right now. Just watch the language from now on and we'll be fine." Jack smiled, hoping to calm Daniel down.

Daniel's face dropped. He put his head down and quietly ate his food. He wasn't going to argue even though he didn't think he had said anything. It was just better to be quiet about it and not argue. Tears pricked at his eyes, but he blinked them away quickly. He finally began to push his food around until he pushed the plate away with about a quarter of everything left. Daniel pulled his mug of coffee closer when the waitress came around and refilled it once again. It was a comfort item more than anything and he was grateful to have it.

Jack had never stopped watching, and what he saw worried him. "Danny, what just happened? You ok?" He asked softly.

"Nothing Jack, I'm fine." Daniel never looked up as he answered. Keep your head down and keep quiet. It was the two safest things he learned in one of the foster homes. One of the older kids had explained that to him.

"You aren't fine. Daniel. You don't have to worry with me. You know me. Everything is going to be ok. Finish your food and relax and _talk_ to me," Jack said soothingly. He could feel his hair graying during this meal, but didn't really mind.

"I am fine and I'm done." Daniel kept his head down and sipped at his coffee. He couldn't stomach anymore food. He wasn't in the mood to talk. Talking, it seemed, only got him into more trouble. He closed his eyes and pulled his coffee mug closer.

Jack just looked at him sadly and sighed before pushing his own plate away. Pressing his hands together as he thought, Jack finally said, "Listen Danny, I know you're going through a hell of a lot in that head of yours – more than I'll probably ever know – but you gotta remember who I am. Who we all are. We've been through worse, and we'll get through this like we always do – together. We're a team...more than a team. It's gonna be ok, no matter what. Ok?"

Daniel shrugged and then nodded knowing it was what Jack wanted. What Jack had said made sense, but Daniel just wanted to be alone to wrap his head around everything. He had heard the sigh, but didn't look at Jack. He didn't want to see the look on his friend's…or was he his guardian? Daniel wasn't sure and at the moment he didn't care. He stood up suddenly and gave Jack a quick look. "I'm going outside to get some air," he said quietly and turned to head outside.

Jack nodded, "I'll be out in a minute after I pay the bill." Figuring Daniel could use a moment to himself, Jack had the waitress box up the leftovers – having all of Daniel's food saved in separate containers.

The minute Jack nodded, Daniel bolted for the door. He had heard his words and nodded but was already half way out the door. He ran his hands through his hair several times as he paced back and forth in front of the restaurant. Finally he went over to Jack's truck, let the tailgate down and sat on it. With his head in his hands he tried to make sense of what he knew and what Jack said.

Bringing the bill the waitress commented, "That is one sulky teen you got yourself there."

Jack brushed his hand through his hair, "Been a hard day for both of us."

Humphing good naturedly at that, she said, "In my experience, every day raising a teen is." Jack couldn't help but laugh as he paid the bill and left a sizable tip before taking the bag of food and going to look for Daniel.

Jack saw Daniel sitting sadly on his tailgate. Walking towards him, he lifted the bag, grinning, and said, "Heeeey Daniel, I got your food saved all in separate containers!" Setting the bag next to Daniel, Jack hopped up to sit on the tailgate as well. He didn't say anything, he just sat there to give Daniel his space.

Daniel looked up slightly at Jack and managed a small smile. "Thanks Jack." He went quiet again after that. He sat there a few minutes and then realized that Jack probably wanted to get home. He got up, grabbed the bag that was next to him and said, "I'm sorry Jack. You probably want to leave." He walked over towards the passenger door and waited.

Jack turned to watch Daniel, "No, not really. I'm just sitting. Why, do you wanna leave?"

"No it's ok, if you want to sit there still that's fine." The fifteen-year- old part of his brain was still running full force and refusing to let the thirty-year- old part to catch up.

"So, d'ya like the steak?" Jack prompted, trying to get him talking.

Daniel nodded from where he stood and then realized that Jack probably hadn't seen him. "Yeah it was good. Thanks," Daniel answered quietly.

Jack nodded. Then sighed. "It's a clear night," he said, looking up at the sky. "Wanna check out the planets with the telescope on my roof? You might like it."

"Yeah I'd like that Jack." Daniel went quiet for a few minutes, then walked back over and sat down. He sighed heavily and then looked at Jack. "Jack you know you can't fix this in one day right? I know you want to, but this isn't that easy," Daniel said as he looked at him searchingly.

Jack chewed his lip before saying in a slightly defeated tone, "Yea, I was just catching on to that. ...can't blame me for tryin'." Jack smiled, hoping he sounded funny towards the end before realizing he was doing it again. "I just don't like seeing you down."

"I know Jack and I don't blame you. I'd like you to be able to fix this now, too, but we have to be realistic. This is all very confusing and some of it scares the hell out of me. Don't take it personally Jack. You know it's not you, but like I said it's gonna take a bit," Daniel explained and then sighed.

"No, it's ok. I understand. I think it's mainly knowing that people mistreated you and there's nothing I can do about it." Jack sighed. It was nice having Daniel talking again.

Daniel gave a sad smile and nodded. "Yeah I know. I guess I should warn you now. You're gonna hear things that you aren't gonna wanna hear. I'm not ready to go there yet though, so you're safe for now," Daniel said solemnly.

Jack patted him on the back, "I'm here for you – no matter what. Don't you worry about me, so whenever you're ready."

Tears pricked his eyes again at the words and Daniel without words scooted over and hugged Jack laying his head on the man's shoulder.

Jack wrapped his arm around him, hugging back, and kept his arm around him. The earlier uncomfortableness of having Daniel hug him was gone, replaced instead by a deep sense of purpose and a desire to protect.

Feeling Jack's arms wrap around him, Daniel burrowed closer. It felt like something in his heart had been opened as he started to softly cry against Jack. He kept as quiet as he could as his back and shoulders shook with the silent crying. A few minutes later he realized where they were and he immediately began to try to calm himself as he started to pull away from Jack. "I'm sorry," he choked out as he swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand even though it did no good as tears kept spilling down his face.

"No reason to be," Jack said as he put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. After a moment he used that hand to pull Daniel back to him.

"Jack don't, we should go. I-I don't want you to be anymore embarrassed by me," Daniel lightly protested as he tried to pull away.

"Funny, I didn't know I _was_ embarrassed," Jack said, not letting go. "So unless you are, don't worry about it."

Daniel looked at him confused and uncertain. "I'm not, but…I would like to go. If that's ok?" Daniel asked. He was almost certain it wouldn't be a problem seeing as it was Jack, but he wanted to remain on guard if that wasn't the case.

"Sure," Jack responded before patting Daniel's shoulder and sliding off the tailgate.

Daniel sighed with relief, slid off the tailgate and shut it. He grabbed his bag of food, walked over to the passenger door and waited for Jack.

Jack unlocked the doors and climbed in. "Ready to head home?" he asked when Daniel climbed in.

"Yeah," Daniel said quietly as he buckled himself in and then leaned up against the window.


	7. Chapter 7: Testing

Jack turned the key and pulled out of the parking lot. Soon he pulled into his own driveway, "Tomorrow we can spring by your place if you want to pick up anything. I figured we could both use some extra rest tonight. I just have to put fresh sheets on the bed in the guest room. Peachy?" Jack asked as they both climbed out of the truck and walked towards the house.

"Yeah sure Jack," Daniel answered quickly as he followed Jack. He had wanted to stop by his place tonight and grab something, but he convinced himself it was better to wait till tomorrow. He didn't want Jack to see anyway and he would just hide it in his duffle bag. He leaned against the outside wall of the house as he waited for Jack to unlock the door.

Jack quickly set about getting the guest room ready and was done in mere minutes. "Ok, you know where the bathroom and the kitchen is. If you wanted to read....you aren't wearing your glasses. Can you see alright?"

Daniel nodded and at Jack's question he said, "Oh yeah I'm good. I need to get the prescription changed slightly, but I'll just wait until I get changed back so I don't have to mess with changing it twice. Too much of a hassle. Uhm…yeah if you don't mind Jack, I'm gonna go take a shower," Daniel said sounding much like his thirty-year- old self once again.

Jack made a mental note of telling Frasier about Daniel's eyesight as he nodded. Walking to the kitchen, Jack grabbed a beer and then went into the family room, plopping himself down into the couch. Twisting off the cap and tossing it across the room into a large vase, Jack took a deep drink and then ran a hand through his graying hair. It'd been a very long, very crazy day. It took only a few gulps for him to finish the beer, and he got up to throw it away before coming back to sit on the couch, staring at nothing in particular. He was thinking about the possibility of rules, but was wondering if he should set them as they went. He didn't want to bombard Daniel, the kid hadn't done anything wrong in getting pulled to that damned tablet. Why make things harder on him? Daniel had good sense and was smarter than nearly the entire population.

Daniel showered quickly and fifteen minutes later he left the bathroom and padded towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge and noted that Jack must've put their food away as he grabbed a beer out and headed towards the living room. He wore a pair of the drawstring pants, a T-shirt, and socks. He opened the beer, threw the cap across the room into the large vase, like Jack had and took a swig. "I take it there's nothing good on?" Daniel questioned as he gestured towards the blank TV.

Jack's eyes moved to Daniel as he came in. Seeing the beer he said, "Ok, first things first: you never have to ask for food if you're hungry or for something to drink if you're thirsty – unless it is alcohol. Then you ask. Since you didn't know that, and since it has been one HELL of a day, enjoy your beer. From now on, try to err on the side of caution with things. Think about if someone dropped by who didn't know what was going on and only saw a teenager – if it'd look bad, ask. Cool?" Jack smiled in a suave way, oozing on the humor.

Daniel turned a stunned face towards Jack. His mouth moving like a fish out of water as no words came out. He calmly got up, put the open beer back in the fridge and went to his room. He sat on the bed a few minutes trying to wrap his head around what Jack had just said. This was getting to be too much of a hassle. He didn't want to have to ask if he could have a beer. He'd always been able to get one when he was over here. Him looking like a kid shouldn't change that, and if someone was dropping by they would've knocked first. They wouldn't have just walked right in. Daniel sighed again, and knew Jack was probably worried about him again and that frustrated Daniel as well. Everything was getting to him and it was just bugging the crap out of him. He wanted to go back to being normal and not this emotional wreck he was turning into.

Jack sat sitting on the couch, hearing the fridge door open and close and then hearing the guest room door do the same. 'Perfect,' Jack thought to himself as he threw a silent mini tantrum, flailing a bit on the couch to release some of the pent up energy before getting up to go talk to Daniel. Going to the fridge, he got Daniel's beer and snagged another for himself and walked to Daniel's room, knocking and asking, "It ok if I come in?"

Daniel looked up at the knock and nodded, then realized that Jack couldn't see him and said, "Yeah sure Jack." He sighed heavily and thumped a sock covered foot against the floor. Once Jack entered his room he said, "I'm sorry Jack. This teenager warring against me inside my head is driving me nuts," he said and gave a grin at Jack to show him he wasn't upset with him.

Jack was impressed by Daniel's candor and wiggled the beer in front of him. "I can understand that," Jack answered as he took a seat next to him.

He reached for the beer and took a drink. "I don't know if I can do this Jack. One minute I'm normal, the next I'm this emotional wreck. What did General Hammond say about fixing this?" Daniel asked.

Jack tried to keep the irritation off of his face at the mention of the general, "Hammond thinks we should give those Ganthas a week and that we should ask first before sending Carter to help." At that Jack took a long swig from his bottle and then glared into it.

"A week? Oh God. I don't think I can do this for a week. Can't we tell him to give them till tomorrow? I can understand the asking, but I'm not in the asking mood. Sam knows what she's doing and I'm tired of being like this," Daniel said angrily and huffed before taking a drink of his beer.

"Hey, that's exactly what I told Hammond. He didn't wanna hear it – doesn't wanna upset their delicate feelings to where they'd refuse to help us at all. Carter even agreed with'em." Smiling ruefully Jack responded, "As far as _**telling**_ Hammond to _**do**_ anything - he handed my ass to me for doing just that before we left today – I think I was lucky to leave his office with it unharmed and still in one piece." Jack slightly chuckled before adding, "No, unless you're positive you can stay calm and respectful, I wouldn't go that route unless you want him to warm your ass for you. ...I can tell him your feelings, if you'd rather. Might be safer for ya – and would it really be that bad to have a chance at some fun teen years? I'm a fun guy, aren't I?"

Daniel chuckled at Jack's comment about having his ass handed to him, but sobered at the next comment and said, "See that's what I'm talking about. I'm tired of everyone thinking that just because I look younger that they can sp-punish me like that." He sat there quiet a minute and then looked at Jack. "I would like it though if you told him my feelings on this. My teen years were hell the first time around, I'd rather not go through it again and as for you being fun…of course you are with other adults. Unfortunately I don't look like one at the moment and sometimes I don't act like one." Daniel said with a frustrated sigh.

"Well, that could always have been said about the way you act - but, I don't always act like an adult either," Jack said as he smirked, unable to resist the hole Daniel had left for a joke. "I'll talk to Hammond for you. Maybe it'll make a difference if he knows how you feel and that it's coming from you. I don't want you to have to stress out about punishments. Why don't we set out some rules so you know exactly what will make that happen."

"Oh ha ha. Yeah I know I left that one open," Daniel said. He took a long drink as he contemplated what else Jack had said. "Thanks. I really don't think I could be polite about it since it's me we're talking about," Daniel replied. The rest of what Jack said made Daniel sigh, he didn't want rules, he wanted normalcy. "Jack, it's not that I'm stressing about it. It just seems that…well take what you said about you and General Hammond. You just said that you tried telling him what to do and he chewed your ass out for it, but if I were to do the same thing the way I look right now, you said he'd most likely spank me. I'm still me, just in a younger body. I don't want to be treated like a kid. I can understand having to in public, but not when I'm around people that know me. I want to be treated like I'm still me," Daniel said as a lone tear slipped unnoticed down his cheek.

Jack heaved a long breath as he put his arm around the younger man. He had wondered when this conversation would come up. "Daniel, think about everything that led up to me spanking you. Nothing else contained you – and you gotta admit that I tried. What I meant about Hammond is that with the way your brainwaves are right now, I can see that escalating to that point, not that that'd be his first, or even second or third, reaction. I'm just trying to protect you. Heck, if I acted the way you did today, I probably would have gotten my rear blistered too. It's not so much that we're treating you as a kid, we're treating you as family. Understand? The other _official_ way that could have gone down is calling the guards to manhandle you and forcibly strapping you down to do the blood test without calming you and then putting you in a cell," Jack shivered at the thought of doing that to Daniel, "and that just wasn't an option."

Daniel snorted at Jack about his comment about him getting his own butt blistered. He shrugged away from Jack, got up, walked over to the window and stood there with his arms wrapped around himself. He was breathing heavily with pent up emotions. If he could he would scream, shout and throw things till he wore himself out, but he couldn't do that as Jack would see it as something entirely different and blister his rear as Jack so eloquently put it.

"Jack I need to be alone. Before you say anything know this, I'm this close…this close to what you would call a tantrum. I know you hate this, me pushing you away, but right now I need to. You need to leave now Jack," Daniel said tersely never turning away from the window.

Jack got up and walked to the door, "Ok Danny, I'll give you your space. Just think over what I said. I'll be on the roof when you're ready."

Daniel made no movement of acknowledgment as he stood in front of the window still breathing heavily. When he heard Jack leave, he clenched his fists tightly scratching his skin in the process. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw tightly. Hot tears trickled slowly down his cheeks, he sank to his knees, doubled over and his whole body shook with his sobs. He couldn't do this for a week and who knows it might even take longer than a week he could be stuck like this and he knew that.

Jack took the ladder slowly to the roof and lowered himself down in the chair in front of his telescope. Quirking his mouth, he fiddled with the dials until it focused in on the Great Orion Nebula. Typically, on such a clear night, Jack would be exploring areas of deep space he was unfamiliar with. Instead, looking up on the first nebula he'd identified as a kid, and one he'd spent countless hours gazing at throughout his life, was much more desirable at the moment as his mind focused on what had passed between him and Daniel.

The tears had dried, and Daniel now lay curled on the bed clutching a pillow to his chest. He was exhausted and emotionally drained. Part of him had hoped Jack would ignore his request to leave him alone and stayed with him, but part of him was glad that he hadn't. His eyes fluttered as he fought to stay awake. He wasn't going to sleep, he'd slept enough this afternoon.

Looking at his watch, Jack saw that fifteen minutes had passed. During his wait, Jack thought about whether he was acting in Daniel's best interests. He just wanted to protect and take care of Daniel, not rule his life. He was Daniel's commanding officer and friend, not his dictator. Still, it was clear that Daniel needed a guiding hand, the young man was not only prone to outright disobedience and tantrums – which, even for a civilian working in the military was a no-no, he also rarely bothered to take care of himself in any other way than proper hygiene. No, this may just be the opportunity to influence him for his own good. Jack grinned without amusement before his mind passed over Daniel's cryptic admissions of his younger years. With enough time, Jack knew he could add plenty of good memories that'd hopefully overshadow the bad. Wiping a hand through his hair, Jack saw that he'd been thrust into dual roles, father and friend, and that this fact would prove to be a delicate dance to get right. Surprisingly, the thought of being a father again didn't bring up the sad memories of losing his son Charlie, it brought back the good ones of his son's life. Realizing that Daniel was not going to come to him, Jack decided to go to Daniel. Trailing from the roof and back into the house, Jack quietly walked to Daniel's room. Seeing him laying curled up on the bed, Jack wasn't sure if he was still awake, and quietly called, "Danny, you asleep?"

"No," Daniel said in a hoarse voice. He refused to roll over as he didn't want Jack to see his red eyes nor the dried tears which he was sure was still on his face. "I'm fine Jack," Daniel said, his voice quivering slightly. He willed Jack to go away, he didn't want him here if he broke down again. He hugged the pillow closer to him, listening for the sound of Jack leaving his room. "I'll meet you on the roof in a few minutes Jack, you can go," Daniel tried again not wanting the man there, but silently pleading with him not to leave.

Jack quirked the corner of his mouth sadly as he took a deep breath; clearly Daniel was a mess. That meant that Jack was not going anywhere. Instead, he walked to and sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from Daniel to give him some privacy, and put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere," he said firmly and then waited for Daniel to work through his emotions.

"Thanks," Daniel mumbled softly. He meant it too, he was glad Jack had stayed. His mind briefly flickered to what they had talked about, but refused to stay there. Daniel crushed the pillow tighter to him and sniffed lightly. He didn't want to break apart again not now.

"Don't mention it," Jack said, glad that Daniel wasn't angry at him. After a moment, he patted Daniel's shoulder to soothe him wanting to help in any way he could.

Daniel rolled over after a few minutes and faced Jack. His eyes were still red-rimmed. "I-I'm sorry, about earlier I mean. This is your house, I shouldn't have made you leave," Daniel said as he looked away.

"Actually, I think it showed maturity on your part. You don't have to be sorry for that – this is your home too right now," Jack said, smiling encouragingly. "I want you to ask for what you need, otherwise I might not know."

"Mature? How was that mature?" Daniel asked. He didn't see it as a mature. That's when he decided that Jack was losing it. He gave a weak, sad smile at Jack's other words. There was something at his apartment that he really wanted, but Jack didn't need to know that.

Jack's eyebrows went up to drive the point home, albeit gently, "Instead of not asking for what you needed and throwing a tantrum, you told me exactly what you needed and calmed yourself down. That's a mature thing to do. That's what I'm looking for from you."

Daniel was quiet for several minutes. He had to think of what to say and how to say it. Oh sure, the fifteen-year- old in his head was warring with him at the moment, but thirty-year- old Daniel won this time. He sat up and leaned against the head board. "I don't think you're going to get what you're looking for all the time Jack. Not with a fifteen-year- old taking control. Sometimes it's gonna be like The Invasion of the Body Snatchers around here. It's like I have two separate people in here Jack. The adult me knows how to act. You and I both know this, but the fifteen-year- old me is confused, scared, hurt and pissed as hell. He's unsure of what's going on. I know you're my friend Jack. I know that you would never hurt a kid and that you're a good guy, but this fifteen-year- old doesn't trust adults and that includes the thirty-year- old me. It's like he has to test the waters with you, because you're not acting like what he's used to. Does that make any sense Jack?" Daniel asked once he got out what he wanted to say.

Jack pressed his lips together for a moment, thinking, before he peaked from under his lashes and said, "Yea. ...Luckily, I test well." Jack smiled warmly.

A chuckle escaped from Daniel. He sat against the headboard quietly a few minutes unsure of what to say. Finally he looked at Jack. "Well how about going roof side and star gazing a while? I think I'm good," he said with a grin.

Jack's eyebrows went up, "You got it, Danny!"

Daniel got up from the bed and stretched. He leaned back a little and popped his lower back. He looked at Jack and grinned slightly. "Bad habits die hard," Daniel said a little sheepishly.

Jack playfully rolled his eyes and led them out towards the roof. "Take a seat, Danny, it's focused on the Great Orion Nebula." Jack gestured to the chair in front of the telescope.

"Wow. No matter how many times I look at it, it always amazes me. It was one of my favorites as a kid," Daniel said after he settled himself in the chair and gazed up at the constellation through the telescope.

"Mine too," Jack said as he watched Daniel, a smile playing on his lips, happy to see the kid enjoying himself. Jack pulled up a chair next to him and gazed out at the sky as he relaxed.

Daniel moved the telescope slightly to see what else he could find. The stars had always fascinated him, even as a child. He identified several constellations, before leaning back and stretching slightly. He smiled as he stared up at the stars again folding his hands behind his head and leaning back a little. He sighed happily as he made himself more comfortable in the chair.

Jack was content to watch what was the first genuine good mood to take over Daniel since the accident had occurred. After a moment he said, "I've only seen that look on your face when it's in a book. I shoulda invited you over for this ages ago."

Not expecting Jack to speak, Daniel was startled and he flipped back in the chair. When he looked up, it wasn't the sheepish look of his friend, it was the angry and embarrassed look of the fifteen year old. He glared at Jack as he stood and up righted the chair. "You're supposed to be quiet when stargazing," Daniel murmured to himself not realizing Jack could hear him, as he flung himself back in the chair and crossed his arms. He stared at the sky trying to regain the peaceful feeling he had felt.

"D'oh, sorry about that," Jack muttered. "Me and my big mouth, right?" He said a bit louder with an apologetic look on his face.

Daniel ducked his head slightly when he realized Jack had heard him. He shrugged at Jack's words not saying anything as his cheeks were flaming red still from being overheard. He shifted several times in the chair trying to get comfortable, but found he just wasn't in the mood anymore. "I'm going to my room. Is that ok?" he asked as he flicked a glance at Jack and then stared back down at his lap.

Jack titled his head back and smiled slightly sheepishly at Daniel, "Yea. ...but you don't have to let my big mouth ruin your fun, ya know. 'S up to you."

"I…I just need some space," Daniel said as he got up and went back downstairs to the house. He went to his room, shut the door, and sat on his bed. He sat against the headboard, with his knees drawn up to his chest and then buried his head into his lap. He was still embarrassed at being caught off guard and falling and at being overheard especially. The more he thought about it though, he started to become angry. It was Jack's fault that he had to come back down here. If he had just kept quiet like he was supposed to, he could still be up there gazing at the vast universe. He began to clench his fists the more he thought about it and finally he lashed out at the closest thing which happened to be the small nightstand by his bed. He reached over and knocked it over sending the lamp that sat on it crashing to the ground. Feeling a little satisfied by the sound, he buried his head back in his lap.

Jack watched Daniel sulk off, feeling like a total ass. "Way to go, O'Neill," he muttered to himself as he leaned his head back and wrapped his forearms over his face. Then came the crash. Jack jumped and listened, there was no sound after that. Jack nearly flew back into the house and bounded into Daniel's room. He saw the turned table, the broken lamp and Daniel desperately self hugging. "Danny? What happened in here?"

Daniel looked up with anger still on his face. "I knocked it over, that's what happened," he said angrily. His tone clearly asking _and what are you gonna do about it_. He waited to see how Jack would react to him deliberately doing something.

Jack's eyes went from the broken lamp and back to Daniel a few times before he took on a slight authoritative stance. "On accident, Daniel?"

"Nope. I did it on purpose," Daniel said as he looked straight at Jack, not looking the least bit remorseful.

"Cute, Danny, real cute...but not very smart," Jack ground out, fixing Daniel with his best Colonel glare. "Unless you want another trip over my knee, which I'd be _real_ happy to accommodate you with, you're gonna put your nose in that corner right now," Jack said, pointing to the far corner of the room.

"Oh great, another adult to call me stupid. Thanks. I thought you were supposed to be different, but you're not. You're just like every other foster parent I've been sent to. I'm either stupid, no good, worthless or a combination of the three. Guess I know which one you think I am," Daniel growled as he stood and pushed past Jack to leave the room. Being barefoot though Daniel stepped on a piece of the broken lamp, but still tried to limp out of the room, not wanting Jack to see.

"You are _not_ stupid! You're way smarter than me_, _and I _know_ it!" Jack squalled indignantly, taken aback by just how delicate Daniel's ego truly was as Daniel continued ranting on as he pushed past him.

Jack grimaced when he saw him step on the lamp, "Daniel! Not another step!" Realizing Daniel would just keep going, Jack simply scooped him up and maneuvered him over his shoulder before he proceeded to carry the teen towards the bathroom to tend to the now bleeding foot.

"Hey! Put me down!" Daniel shouted. He tried to wriggle free and when that didn't work, he began to beat at Jack's back with his fist.

That had done it, Jack let four stinging swats land in quick succession, one for each word: "That is _enough_, Daniel!" Daniel yelped and threw a hand back too late. Entering the bathroom, Jack kicked the door closed and then kicked the toilet lid down before setting Daniel onto it. Waggling a finger in Daniel's face Jack warned, "Don't even _think_ about moving!" With that, he knelt down on the hard tiles to inspect Daniel's foot as his knees twinged painfully.

Daniel glared at Jack after being sat on the toilet. When Jack touched the sore spot that still had a piece of glass in it, Daniel cringed and bit back a whimper. He fisted his hands trying not to make any noise.

Jack felt some of his anger ebb as he caught the cringe while feeling the glass in Daniel's foot. "Easy there, I gotta dig this out," he said gently. Twisting back, he grabbed out a pair of tweezers, a band aid and Neosporin from the first aid kit under the sink. "Steady yourself, this is gonna hurt," Jack said as he pat Daniel's knee.

Daniel swallowed hard when Jack said he would have to dig it out. Jack's next words did nothing to calm him even though the pat to his knee helped slightly. He scrunched his toes ups wincing slightly at the pain that it caused in his foot. He squeezed his eyes shut and fisted his hands as he waited for the pain.

Jack expertly dug out the glass quickly and efficiently. Holding the shard up for Daniel to see, "Got it – all done." It was a shark tooth shaped piece of glass, the length of about three millimeters by two millimeters. Jack glared at the piece of glass that'd hurt Daniel before patting his knee once more.

Daniel yelped as Jack pulled the piece of glass out and a few tears found the way down cheeks. He quickly wiped them away. He scrunched his foot up again trying to ease it away from Jack. He wanted to make the pain go away.

"Ah-ah! Not yet," Jack said gently as he grabbed up the Neosporin while holding onto the injured foot, "you'll like this part. It dulls the pain." Jack applied a liberal amount and then put the band aid on. "Better?"

Daniel cringed slightly at Jack's words and how he held onto his foot still, but relaxed at Jack's next words and the medicine applied. He nodded, ducked his head down and hunched his shoulders up, waiting to be scolded or worse for the lamp. His anger had fled as his foot was tended to and now he waited for Jack's anger to emerge again.

"Care to explain what that was about, Daniel?" Jack asked quietly, fixing Daniel with a no nonsense look.

"About what?" Daniel asked, wondering if Jack meant the lamp or the cringing. He knew he was doing it but he couldn't help it. It was second nature for most part. He darted his eyes up several times to glance at Jack.

Jack took a deep breath, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, as he looked at the baby blues that so often darted around innocently when Daniel was attempting to avoid trouble. "...the tantrum, Daniel?" Jack prompted, a playful edge to his voice that belied frustration and danger.

Daniel licked his lips and thought about his words. "I…I was embarrassed at falling over in the chair. You…You startled me and I was upset about it," Daniel admitted very softly. He ducked his head further hunching his shoulders again as he leaned slightly away from Jack.

"...And?" Jack urged.

Daniel looked up, a little angry and confused. "What do you mean 'and'? And I came down here, got mad about it and knocked the lamp over," Daniel huffed. What was this guy's problem he was supposed to be upset and angry not asking stupid obvious questions.

Jack nodded. "Glad we're on the same page." Standing, he groaned as he stretched out his now stiff knees and then folded his arms over his chest as he looked down at Daniel. After a long moment, he flicked his eyebrow up before letting it settle back down just as quickly. "Come here," he said as he bent down to pick his little archeologist up again.

The moment Jack moved to pick him up, Daniel jumped up and backed away. "Why?" he asked cringing slightly at the pressure he'd just put on his sore foot.

"Ah ah – because of the foot, Daniel," Jack said. "You shouldn't be standing on it yet," he grasped ahold of Daniel's arm and gently pulled him over his shoulder. "Comfy, Daniel?"

Daniel was a little startled at being put over Jack's shoulder. "No not really," Daniel said as he squirmed slightly. He also didn't like how vulnerable his backside was either.

Jack grinned, unbeknownst to Daniel, and opened the bathroom door. "All the more reason to get you in the corner then."

"What? You just said I shouldn't be standing on my foot," Daniel said a little startled at what Jack said. Didn't he understand? Daniel wasn't going to stay in the corner. "I'm not standing in the corner." Daniel said quietly.

"You've got that right," Jack said as he walked back into the bedroom and to the corner with Daniel still over his shoulder before he bent down to place him on the ground facing the corner. "You're gonna **sit** in the corner. Get up or move, and it's over my knee. Got it, Danny?"

Daniel sat there a moment or two considering his choices. Did he really want to go there? The thirty year old part of him was begging him not to do what he was thinking. Daniel wasn't listening to him though, he needed to trust on his own and in his fifteen year old brain the way to do that was to test Jack further. "Yeah I got it," Daniel said. He waited till Jack moved away to clean up the lamp then swiftly got to his feet and began to limp over to his bed.

Jack had stood behind Daniel a moment to make sure there'd be no problems before he went to the kitchen to get the trash can and broom to clean up the broken lamp. Turning the corner back into the room, he slowly set the items down, his anger spiking at seeing Daniel on the bed. "Daaanieeeel," he hissed, stalking over to the bed and grabbing Daniel's foot to make sure there was no new damage to it. Assessing the foot wasn't too worse off, he quickly let go, sat next to the de-aged linguist and pulled him over his lap, making sure to tip him forward enough so that the injured part of the foot couldn't touch the floor. "What. Did. I. _Just_. Tell. You?!?!?!" Jack ground out, swatting hard with each word.

When Jack walked back into the room, Daniel prepared himself for the worst, knowing he had openly defied Jack. He was startled when Jack grabbed his foot first. Daniel stared as he realized Jack had cared whether he had injured his foot again. Being tipped over his lap Daniel latched on to Jack's leg and gasped softly at the swats. "That if I moved you'd spank me," Daniel said as he couldn't believe Jack had actually done what he'd said. He'd expected worse, that had only been six swats.

"Why did you move?" Jack asked, clearly confused, hand poised to deliver another solid smack.

Daniel's face heated up at that question. How was he supposed to answer that? He didn't want to admit that he'd done it to see what Jack would actually do. "Sitting on the floor wasn't a good idea. Who knows how far the lamp pieces could've went," Daniel said trying to sound belligerent, but sounded unsure instead. He gripped Jack's pants tightly again expecting another smack to his backside.

Jack's brows knit together before he looked towards the corner to verify Daniel's story. "You had to walk past the shards just to get to the bed. Try again," Jack said as he delivered another hard swat before poising his hand once again. "I'd suggest the truth this time."

Daniel gasped at the swat even though he knew it was coming. He couldn't tell him the real truth. What would Jack think of him if he admitted it. Besides he was an adult, if he admitted the real reason, Jack could use it against him. They always used stuff he admitted to against him. "I didn't feel like listening to you," Daniel said as he tensed up and waited again. He knew he was bringing it upon himself but he had to see how far he could push Jack. He had to know what the breaking point was.

"You're smarter than that, and that's not even a real reason. Try again," Jack said, swatting the little bottom over his knee and lifting his hand to wait for the next answer.

A small whimper escaped Daniel's lips. It was starting to hurt a little now. Daniel decided to keep quiet and not say anything. He was running out of things to say and couldn't come up with another plausible excuse. He couldn't admit to the real reason, he just couldn't. He shook his head to let Jack know he wasn't saying anything.

"Daniel, I'm not enjoying this anymore than you but we're not moving on til you _tell_ me. Out with it," Jack said gently with hand still poised.

Daniel shook his head again. He was confused though, Why wasn't Jack acting like the others? They would've either dumped him on the ground by now lamp shards be damned, or they would've laid into him by now, but Jack didn't do neither. Oh sure he kept smacking him, but it was one swat per answer and it hurt but the sting faded slightly in between answers.

"Danny, clearly the answer is important – that's why you aren't telling me. But I need to know. If you don't answer right now, I'm gonna have to spank you until you tell me. I won't like it, but I'll do it. Last chance," Jack said in a near pleading tone.

As much as he wanted to answer Jack, he shook his head again. He had to know. Jack had said he was going to spank him, but is that what was really going to happen? His whole body tensed up and he clutched Jack's pants tightly. He closed his eyes and waited.

Jack sadly let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, "Okay Danny, you let me know when you wanna talk." He clenched his jaw as he began the spanking, alternating his swats from cheek to cheek.

Daniel flinched at the first few swats not saying much of anything and then the sting began to build. He was voicing his pain quietly knowing that most of the others he'd lived with wanted you to be quiet even if what they were doing hurt a lot. He began to grip Jack's pants leg tighter as the tears filled his eyes and slowly slid down his cheeks.

Jack wanted to stop. He really did, but that wasn't going to help Daniel in the long run. Steeling his nerves at the sounds Daniel began making after a dozen swats, Jack picked up the pace.

The spanking was really hurting now and Daniel began to shift slightly. Whimpers of pain began to escape him as tears flowed faster down his cheeks. When the swats became faster the sting began to build even faster and he felt like he was sitting on the hood of a running car in the middle of summer. He began to sob broken heartedly against Jack's leg and did something he knew he shouldn't. Daniel threw his hand back and whispered softly, "Please stop Jack."

"You know how to make this stop," Jack replied after grabbing Daniel's hand and holding it in his own at Daniel's hip, not ceasing the spanking one bit. "Please make this stop, Daniel."

"I-I wanted to know what you'd do," Daniel admitted finally, between sobs, as he squirmed against Jack. His back and shoulders shook from his sobbing as he lay there praying Jack would stop. He wiped his eyes against Jack's pant leg as more tears replaced the ones he'd just wiped away.

Jack stopped immediately, absentmindedly patting and rubbing Daniel's back to soothe him. "Why?"

"Because I-I needed to know," Daniel said. "I-I needed to know if that's what you would really do," Daniel said quietly as calmed slightly.

Jack, eloquent as ever, again asked, "Why?" as he continued his ministrations on Daniel's back, happy that he seemed to be calming.

"What do you mean why?" he asked confused. Jack was being too frustrating by asking the same question over and over. "Can-can I get up?" he asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I suppose," Jack said coyly as he helped Daniel up, warmly giving him a one armed hug. "Why did you need to know what I'd do? When haven't I done what I said I'd do?"

Daniel winced slightly as he sat on the bed on his sore bottom. He stared down at his hands as he leaned into the hug. "Adults say one thing and sometimes do another," Daniel said not looking at Jack.

"I'm not most adults," Jack said plainly. After a moment he asked gently, "What'd ja think I might do?"

Daniel shook his head. "No I'm not going there," Daniel said as he continued to stare at his hands.

Jack couldn't help but probe. "Well, that's no way to make progress. ...did you think I'd beat you, Danny? I told you, the worst you'll get is spanked and you'll have warning. I'm a man of my word."

Daniel shied away from Jack as he continued to probe. He moved away from Jack to sit against his headboard. He looked at Jack for several minutes and then nodded at Jack and buried his head against his knees not wanting to face him.

Jack knit his brows together in concern and confusion, "Yes you thought I'd beat you or yes you trust what I said?"

Daniel hunched his shoulders up and wondered what to say. Which would make Jack the least angry with him? "I had disobeyed you so I didn't think I'd get just a spanking. So yeah I guess I thought that maybe you'd beat me," Daniel said. "I-I'm not that one that lives with you, it's hard for me to trust, but I'll try harder," Daniel said.

"You had to test me," Jack stated. Looking off for a minute to think that through he said, "I can understand that. That's good to know, it'll explain it when it happens again. ...this will happen again, won't it?"

Daniel looked up from his knees. He nodded biting his bottom lip as he looked at Jack. He shifted slightly trying to relieve the pain in his backside. "Most likely," he said finally giving a verbal answer to his nod. "Does it bother you?" Daniel asked a few minutes later as he looked at Jack curiously.

"No. Makes sense." Jack crinkled his chin in a thoughtful pout, "But I'll tell you right now, if any of that testing or misbehaving results in you getting hurt again, you'll get a grounding to go along with the spanking. I can't stand seeing you hurt, Danny. I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty – you've been punished and it's over and done with, I just want you ta know where you stand."

Daniel thought about this, then looked up and nodded. He shifted again on his sore backside and sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and began to chew on it a minute. He had to ask and find out. "Can-can I ask you something?" Daniel finally asked.

"Sure can. Anything," Jack nodded, encouragingly.

Daniel picked at his shirt for a moment trying to figure out the best way to ask. He looked at Jack finally and bit at his bottom lip before finally speaking. "Are you always going to use your hand?" he asked his eyes not quite meeting Jack's after he asked.

"Hadn't thought about it. Why?" Jack asked, worried about connections with previous abuse. "What does it mean if I don't? This have something to do with your past?"

Daniel bit his bottom lip again and shrugged. "Would it make a difference if I said I'd prefer only your hand?" Daniel asked quietly his face flushing beet red. He didn't answer the other question, he didn't want to talk about his past anymore. He just wanted that one question answered.

"It would," Jack said nonchalantly, trying to douse some of Daniel's embarrassment. "You gonna answer me about whether it has to do with your past?"

Daniel looked down and shook his head "no". "I don't want to talk about it Jack. Please stop," Daniel answered quietly.

The side of Jack's mouth twitched, "Ok. Later then." Blowing out a sigh, Jack knew the next part wouldn't get any smiles from Daniel. "Let me help you back into the corner, come on," Jack motioned for Daniel to scoot towards him.

That got Daniel's attention. "W-What? But you just…but I…Why?" he asked as he scooted back even further against the headboard out of Jack's reach shaking his head as he stared at Jack confused.

"Well, that spanking was for directly disobeying me by getting out of the corner. You still gotta sit there and think about where losing your temper and breaking that lamp got you while I clean up the glass," Jack said in as nice of a tone as he could. "Now, come on – come here." He again motioned Daniel over to him.

Daniel looked at Jack and squirmed slightly. "Could I stand instead? I don't think sitting's an option at the moment." He was actually surprised by Jack, he had laid everything out and told Daniel exactly what the punishments were for. He scooted closer hoping he'd get to stand.

"Sorry Danny, no can do. Your butt won't stand the risk of bleeding or getting infected if you put pressure on it. You can take a pillow, though."

Daniel sighed and nodded. At least a pillow would be somewhat comfortable. Maybe he could kneel? He'd be off his foot and his butt and he could kneel on the pillow. He grabbed the pillow as he moved to sit near Jack again. "Would it be okay if I kneeled?" he asked as he turned a curious yet hopeful look at Jack.

Jack looked at Daniel, eyebrows raising in an equally hopeful look as he thought. After a second he shook his head, "I don't know that it'd help you to let you kneel in the long run. I think you better sit."

Daniel sighed softly and gave in. "Alright," he said quietly, though he wasn't thrilled with the idea.

Jack gave him a pat on the back before standing and hoisting him up to carry. Setting Daniel in the corner, Jack leaned close and said, "Now I want you to sit here and think about what you did, why you did it, how it worked out for you and what else you coulda done. I'll come get you when you've had enough time to think."

Daniel just nodded. He leaned his head against the wall and sighed. He already knew why he did it and he had achieved what he wanted. Well except for this part. He wasn't keen on the staring at the wall part, but he was content with what he had done.

Jack looked down at him for a moment before nodding to himself. Turning, he began picking up the large pieces of the lamp, tossing them into the trash. With that done he picked up the broom and began sweeping the entire room, carefully making sure that each stray piece was collected and safely deposited into the trash. Five minutes had passed in his thoroughness when he decided to do another round with the broom, just to make triple certain that Daniel would be safe.

Daniel listened to the sounds of Jack sweeping and yawned. The sound of the broom going over the floor made, oddly enough a very soothing noise. He began to blink his eyes as they began to droop and finally against Daniel's wishes they closed and Daniel began to snore softly.

It took a few more minutes for Jack to be satisfied that the room was once again safe. Setting the broom against the wall in the hall, he heard the beginnings of Daniel's snoring. Jack's grinned in amusement, and he got the bed ready for sleeping. He went over and gently scooped Daniel and the pillow up and then laid him in the bed, covering him up. "Night Danny," he said quietly as he looked the teenage archeologist over. Jack left the door open a crack, and quietly carried the broom and the trashcan back to the kitchen before going to his own bedroom. He was tired, too tired for even a shower, and so he pulled off his shoes and clothes and collapsed into bed, dead to the world.

Jack awoke without the need of an alarm early in the morning, showered, dressed and padded to the kitchen to make some coffee where he let his mind stroll over the happenings of the previous day as he sat at the table.


	8. Chapter 8: Tricks and Accountability

Daniel bolted upright in bed and looked around trying to remember where he was. He was panting heavily at the nightmare he'd been having and seeing no one in the room meant he hadn't screamed. He sighed with relief and then looked around the room again and realized he was at Jack's. He groaned softly when he realized he had fallen asleep in the corner. Daniel hoped Jack wasn't angry with him. He decided to get up, find him and apologize. He inspected his foot first, prodding at the bandaged area and then testing it on the floor. When he found he could walk on it without pain he put socks on first and then went to find Jack.

He padded quietly out into the living room and when he didn't spy Jack there, he headed for the kitchen. Daniel saw Jack and plopped down in a chair near him. "Hi," he said his eyes downcast.

Jack nodded and smiled over his coffee mug, "Mornin'. Coffee?"

Daniel looked up at Jack with shock. "You aren't angry?" he asked confused about Jack's demeanor.

Jack had happily gotten up to fetch Daniel a mug of coffee, but stopped at the question. Turning, he looked at Daniel with complete confusion, "Angry?"

"I-I fell asleep in the corner," he said as he stared down at the floor again his shoulders hunching up expecting something to happen.

"Yea," Jack said, turning back and getting the coffee for Daniel. Coming back to the table, he set down the coffee and sat back down. "So? You were tired. ...you like eggs and bacon?"

"But I was being punished and I fell asleep during it," Daniel said as he straightened up slowly and eyed Jack warily. He immediately pulled the mug of coffee close to him and breathed in the warmth of it. Daniel looked up slowly at Jack as he bit at his bottom lip wondering what response that would bring.

"...because you were tired, Daniel," Jack replied as though this were very obvious. Going to the fridge, Jack pulled out a carton of eggs, a bottle of Guinness and some cheese, "I'm thinkin' my world famous omelets."

Daniel sat there a little stunned. Jack was truly not angry with him. He looked over at Jack and smiled a little at the mention of omelets. "Sounds good," he said. It still confused him that he wasn't in trouble. Not that he minded, but he was still confused. He decided not to say anything else about it and just observe Jack the rest of the day and try to figure him out.

Jack looked back and nodded happily at Daniel's answer. Getting everything ready, he hummed as he cooked his omelets, the secret ingredient of which was the Guinness, and also made an impressive pile of bacon before he divided the food onto two plates. Grabbing a couple forks out of a drawer he said, "Come and get it."

Daniel jumped up and walked over to the counter. He grabbed a plate and stared at the impressive pile of food on his plate. He had thought Jack wouldn't give him as much for falling asleep, but he had given Daniel as much as he'd given himself. Daniel took his food back to the table and sat there as he ate trying to figure Jack out. He stared at the man for a few minutes, trying not to be obvious but unable to help himself at spots.

Jack noticed that Daniel was staring, and figured it had something to do with confusions over past abuse, so he just went about eating his own food, smiling at him here and there. The staring didn't bother him at all and his mind went to various things that needed to get done at work. Finishing his food, Jack got up and began cleaning up as he said over his shoulder, "I'll get these today. Usually you'll do'em when I cook. Sound good?"

Daniel concentrated after a bit on his own food and when he was done, he stood to take his plate to the sink. When Jack bustled by taking the plate from him and telling him he'd be doing the dishes instead, Daniel stood there dumbfounded. "Uhm, I can do them Jack it's no problem," he said unsure why Jack would change things now.

"I know," Jack said while keeping the plate. "I just need to get in early today," he said, motioning to Daniel's pajamas and smiling. "Cool?"

Daniel looked at Jack a minute. "We have to go on base today?" he asked a little disappointed. He was kinda hoping to hang around and do something fun. "Yeah it's no problem, I'll uh…I'll go get changed," Daniel said as he got up and began heading for his room.

Jack nodded, turning at the sad voice to study Daniel. "Yea, I wanted to talk to ol' Georgey for ya, remember?" he called after him with a smile.

That froze Daniel on the steps. He'd forgotten about that. "Uhm…you don't have to say anything really. I can wait a week. It's no big deal," Daniel called back before quickly getting up the stairs and into his room.

Jack didn't answer. He was too confused by then, and so he helped himself to another cup of coffee. Waiting for Daniel to get ready, he thought over what just happened, thinking that either Daniel was liking the idea of being a teenager or he learned one too many foreign words and – that combined with the double brain waves - was finally losing his mind.

Daniel took his time getting ready. He had forgotten he had asked Jack to talk to the General this morning. While part of him couldn't wait to be an adult again, another part of him kind of liked being a kid, and still another part didn't want to rock the boat. If the General said a week it was most likely he wouldn't change his mind and talking about it might make him angry. He sat on his bed when he was done and sighed.

"Yo, Danny," Jack called from the bottom of the stairs, "let's get moving!"

Jumping at the sound of Jack's voice, Daniel grabbed up his satchel and remembered that he wanted to go by his apartment today. He came thundering down the stairs like any normal teen without realizing what he was doing. "Ok let's go. Can we go by my apartment later too?" he asked.

Jack raised his eyebrows, impressed by the hurry and noise that Daniel typically never portrayed. "Yea, sure we can," Jack smiled as they walked through the front door, shutting it and – as usual – not bothering to lock it. "Meant to take ya last night...be kind now, no comments about memory being the first thing to go," Jack laughed as he walked to the truck.

Daniel was quiet for a minute and then said, "Well, it could be your memory is going, but I think it got up and went years ago because you still don't lock the front door. Geez Jack, you want someone to rob you don't you?"

Jack stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards Daniel, a fit of laughter threatening to break through. "Daniel?" he asked, trying to give a disapproving look before he finally lost out to the laughs. "I'm perfectly aware that I leave the door unlocked. I like to think of it as a waiting adventure," he shrugged and got into the truck. "I never know _who_ will be waiting for me when I get home."

Daniel stared at Jack a moment, shook his head and mumbled something about neurotic Colonels. "Well let's get going," he said out loud.

Jack smirked and started the engine. After a few minutes Jack asked, "So, you really don't want me to talk to the General for ya then? I'm fine either way." The SGC was in sight, and Jack wanted to know for certain what Daniel's wishes were.

"Well, I mean it would be nice if you did, but really I don't want him to get upset with you for mentioning it again," Daniel said pretending concern for Jack was why he really didn't want Jack to talk to the general. He didn't really need to rock the boat and get the general angry with him either.

"Ah, don't worry about me," Jack said, pulling into the parking lot. "I have my charms."

Daniel bit at his bottom lip and cast a sideways glance at Jack. "R-really Jack, it's not a big deal. He-he did say a week and a week's not so bad right?" Daniel stammered. He wanted Jack to do both. Tell and not tell the general.

"Not bad at all - I certainly wouldn't mind," Jack agreed as he parked his truck. "How about this, we'll give it another day and see how you feel then."

Daniel gave a mental sigh of relief. Jack wasn't going to ask and he was in no mood to share. He nodded at Jack. "Ok that sounds good, so it's okay if I go to my office while we're here?"

"Sure, but first can you do me a favor?"

Daniel nodded slowly as he stared warily at Jack. "I guess so."

"Good. Let's go get those peepers checked out," Jack said cheerily, beckoning Daniel to follow him with his finger. "Frasier'd have my head if I didn't get your prescription updated."

Daniel sighed heavily. He didn't see the point but he wasn't going to argue. Arguing with Jack never ended well for him. "Fine," Daniel stated reluctantly as he followed Jack.

"It shouldn't take long, and I'll leave you to your rocks and translations til lunch," Jack said trying to sweeten the deal.

Daniel sighed. He just nodded and followed along behind. He knew he had no reason to fear Jack if he argued, but he just couldn't bring himself to.

Jack bounded into the infirmary and quickly set to playing with the shiny instruments sitting out on a counter, waiting for Dr. Frasier to happen by. Picking up a rather nasty looking one, Jack made a disgusted face and looked at Daniel, "Whaddya think they use this for?"

Daniel cocked his head as he watched Jack. He stared at the instrument and was about to make a comment when he happened to see Janet creeping up behind Jack. She made a shushing motion towards Daniel. He sighed and said, "Well maybe it could be for…"

Before he could say anything Janet said from behind Jack, "It's for the removal of a certain part of anatomy of a certain nosey Colonel, who can't keep his mitts off my equipment."

Daniel sat on one of the cots hiding his face as he silently shook with laughter.

Jack jumped, if only slightly, at Janet's voice. Turning to her coolly and calmly he said, "Oh? ...and what part might that be, Doc?" before smirking impishly at her from under his lashes as he picked up another shiny instrument and made to juggle them.

Daniel was making squeaking noises of laughter still doubled over on the cot. He couldn't help it. It had been the best thing to see Jack jump. After a moment he looked up his eyes wet with tears of laughter as he waited to see what Janet's response would be.

Mischief gleamed in Janet's eyes as she responded. "The one that will be useless in fathering anymore children if you do not stop touching my equipment. I'm going to make you re-sterilize each and every instrument and surface in the infirmary if you touch just one more thing Jack," she said her tone a little sharper than she meant it to be.

Daniel doubled over with laughter again this time louder than before.

Jack's face took on an unsure look as to whether the good doctor was teasing about what the instrument did, and he quickly tossed it back onto the counter with a clang and a grimace. It was at this time that Jack noticed that Daniel was laughing hysterically at him, and he was just about to put him in his place when he heard Janet's threat. Huffing dramatically, he set the other instrument down and made a show of rolling his eyes petulantly. To get the attention off of himself Jack responded, "Daniel needs new glasses, he can't see."

Janet broke into a smile at the sight of Daniel laughing himself silly. She smirked at Jack when he rolled his eyes at her and put the instrument down. She knew what he was doing when he suddenly said something about Daniel. "Really Jack? He can't see one little bit? Hmm interesting well then I guess glasses wouldn't help him then would they? I mean if he can't see," she said teasingly.

Daniel had looked up laughter still in his eyes. When Janet started on her spiel, he started chuckling. "Yeah Janet, I can't see a thing. I especially couldn't see a single constellation last night on Jack's roof. But for a blind kid I've been getting around pretty good," he said with a wink.

"Is there a gas leak in here?" Jack asked, eyeing them both. "Could ya give'em an eye exam, doc? He needs to be able to see."

"No, why did you fart?" Daniel asked chuckling unable to help himself.

Janet chuckled at that as well, and then sobered slightly. "Sure I can, come on Daniel let's leave the grouch here," she said motioning towards Daniel.

Daniel got up wiping the tears away from his eyes still chuckling softly as he passed Jack.

Jack, using his special ops training, promptly and silently touched a few more of the medical instruments on the counter to make himself feel better while making a face at the back of their heads. "Right, well I'll be off then," he said as he slunk towards the door.

"After you sterilize the instruments and surfaces right?" Janet asked not even turning around.

Daniel looked over his shoulder at Jack. "Never try to sneak around a mother, Jack," he said snickering softly.

Jack's eyes nearly popped out of his head and his mouth fell open before he locked eyes with Daniel, giving him a 'did that just happen?' look. Deciding this situation called for all of his leadership skills, Jack turned on his heel and silently jogged out of the room. Knowing when to act dumb and busy was a skill learned early on, and Jack had perfected it. 'I think it's time to pay Carter a visit,' he thought as he rounded the corner.

Daniel nodded and grinned at the look on Jack's face. He then turned and followed Janet into the other room.

Carter was busy in the tech lab. Writing down what she could remember about the sphere on the other planet and how they would be able to reverse the effects.

Jack slunk in silently behind Carter, looking over her shoulder. "Whatcha doin' Carter?" he asked, curious if he could get her to jump like he had recently done.

"Trying to figure out a way to age Daniel again sir. Why?" she asked barely looking up from her writings.

Jack sighed at failing to surprise her but almost instantly brightened by what she'd said. "Oh?" Jack prompted, raising his eyebrows and resting his hip on the desk – purposely getting in her way - to beckon more information from her.

"Uh huh." Sam answered as she went back to the papers not at all effected by Jack.

"Carter," Jack couldn't help but exclaim, "report!"

Sam jumped slightly at the exclamation and glared at Jack. "Sir, I'm kinda busy. Could you come back later when I actually have something useful?" she asked a little irritated with Jack.

"No! I can't – what are you working on here, Carter? ...any news from the Gantha?" Jack asked, desperate for any tidbit of information, but trying to keep any bite out of his voice for her.

Carter huffed and looked up. There was no way she was going to get any work done with Jack in here making a nuisance of himself. "I haven't heard anything from the Gantha nor from the General. I just thought I'd try out a few ideas on what may be done to reverse the effects on Daniel. This is just theory stuff Jack, I don't even know what the symbols were around the sphere. They could be the clue to unlocking this," she said hoping to get rid of him soon.

Meanwhile Daniel was on his way back to his office. Having finished with Janet he was pleased to know that he would have a new pair in a day or so. It seemed his eye sight was better than it was when he was an adult. Finally reaching his office, he closed the door behind him and sighed. He went over to his desk and began to jot down from memory the symbols from the sphere and began to try to decipher them.

Jack quirked his mouth in amusement at Carter's annoyance with him, his mood instantly improved. "Well, carry on then. Daniel's in his office if you want help, I'll ask the General about getting you another look at the symbols," Jack said as he sidled towards the door with his hands in his pockets.

Daniel sat there trying to recall what language these symbols closely resembled but couldn't think of it at the moment. He decided to walk around the base and maybe go check on Sam. He got up and headed over to the door. He paused with his hand on the handle. Daniel remembered that she had been in the hall when Jack had… he just hoped she didn't say anything about it. He left his office and went down to look for Sam in the lab.

Jack sauntered down the hallways, looking for anything that needed his attention. He'd already taken care of the two things he wanted to get in early for, and seeing as how Daniel didn't want him to talk to Hammond about hurrying things up just yet, all that was left was writing up some reports. Jack hated paperwork. But, bugging Hammond about sending Carter back to look at those symbols without also bringing the reports he'd already been asked twice for by Hammond didn't seem like the best plan. Deciding he'd wasted enough time on his little walk, Jack soon found himself at his rarely used office and eyed the pile of folders on his dust covered desk with dismay before finally taking his seat and getting started.

Sam had given Jack's retreating form a quick irritated smirk before she once again became completely absorbed in her work. She knew it was a long shot, and may altogether prove unfruitful, but she had to do something to help her friend and this was the only thing she could currently think of.

Daniel hesitated outside the lab as he snuck a peek inside and saw Sam. She looked rather busy. He started to go, and then turned back and decided it was worth a shot. "Hey Sam, you busy?" he asked as he peeked in ready to leave if she was.

Sam's eyes brightened as she looked up from her work to see Daniel sheepishly and unsuredly peeking in at her from the hall. Smiling warmly, "Daniel, I was just going to go looking for you. What's up?"

Daniel walked into the lab with a smile on his face. Seeing Sam looking happily at him made him feel better about interrupting her. "You were gonna look for me? Why?" he asked a little suspicious now.

Sam looked back down at her notepad, arching her eyebrows as he continued smiling. "Well, I was trying to work on reversing the effects of the tablet and I wanted your help with the symbols. I've written down what I remembered," she said as she handed him the notepad.

"Oh well I can write down the symbols for you. I remember those easily, but I can't remember where I've seen them before," Daniel said and began to sketch the symbols down for Sam.

"Thanks," Sam replied as she looked at what he was sketching, their heads close together as they bent over the table. Sam was actually shocked, this was the first time that Daniel had ever been stumped. It was just the poor thing's luck that it happened to be when he needed to understand it so badly! "Well, if you don't remember where you've seen them, I'm sure you can find something in one of your books," she said encouragingly.

"No, No it's not in a book," Daniel said slowly, as he bit the inside of his lip and closed his eyes trying to think. "I know I've seen it on…maybe a paper, or maybe…another planet? I can't remember. Wait! I think I know…I'll be back in like…half an hour Sam," he said with a large grin plastered on his face. He knew exactly where he'd seen the symbols now. They were in a sketch book of his back at his apartment. Daniel just needed to get the keys for Jack's truck and he could go get it plus the other thing he wanted from there. Jack wasn't just going to hand them over, so how to go about getting them without rousing Jack's suspicion? Daniel pondered this as he began his search for Jack.

Sam shook her head at Daniel, grinning at his enthusiasm as he bolted out the door. Looking down at his writings, she sighed and realized there wasn't much she could do with it. Instead, she went back to attempting to reverse engineer a piece of alien technology while she awaited his return.

Jack had made good head way in the tall pile of reports sitting on his desk. He sat with elbow on table and cheekbone resting on raised fist as he glared down at the hated paperwork while he scribbled quickly. He really wasn't sure why he wasn't allowed to push this task off on Carter or Daniel – they'd do a much better job than he would, and they'd probably even enjoy doing the task. God, he hated doing this. 'Worst part of the job,' he thought, 'even worse than being tortured by the Goa'uld.'

Daniel stopped outside Jack's office. He had an inkling of how to get Jack's keys and hopefully the small white lie would work. He knocked on Jack's door and waited. He didn't want to interrupt him if he was busy especially if there was someone else in there.

"Yes! Come in – please," Jack yelled, the joy at being interrupted clearly showing in his voice.

Daniel walked in, but when he saw the pile of reports on Jack's desk he said, "Oh you've got a lot to do, it-it can wait."

Jack's eyes took on a frantic look as he sputtered, "No! No it can't, Daniel. I'm at your beck and call – what did you need?"

Daniel looked at Jack wide eyed a moment and took a couple of steps back. When he realized Jack wanted a break from the paper work, he wondered if his plan would work at all. "I just wanted to borrow the truck keys a moment, I forgot something," Daniel said, and then decided to try a different tactic. "It's ok if you don't trust me, I'm used to it." Yeah it was manipulative and the fifteen year old and the thirty year old Daniel both knew this. The fifteen year old Daniel wasn't concerned at all what would happen when Jack found out, he just needed those keys.

Jack had excitedly jumped up, intent on joining Daniel in order to get away from the paperwork and to have some fun, but he quickly stopped in his tracks bent over his desk and looking a little heartbroken. "I trust you, Danny." Jack sullenly dug the keys out of his desk, holding them out and asking a little pitifully, "You sure you couldn't use some company?"

Daniel bit at his bottom lip at the look on Jack's face. He had been so determined to be sneaky about something that it didn't occur to ask Jack outright if they could slip off for a minute to get what he needed. His cheeks colored considerably as he hung his head. "You can come Jack, I-I…" he couldn't force himself to tell Jack he had actually lied to him.

"Then let's go," Jack said excitedly as he rounded the desk. He was so happy to be getting away from the paperwork that he really didn't notice that Daniel was acting oddly.

Daniel looked up a little shocked that he hadn't been caught out. He cocked his head slightly. "You know Jack, I just remembered I didn't bring anything with me, but could we sneak away for a few minutes? I was helping Sam and I know there's this book at my apartment that would help us read the symbols from the Gantha device," Daniel said giving Jack a curious look hoping it was a go and that he hadn't given himself away.

Jack came to a stop, turning suspicious eyes at the little linguist and instantly saw what he'd missed. "Daniel," he warned, "care to explain what you were up to?"

Daniel doubted that Jack would take no for an answer. A small fib wouldn't hurt though…would it? "Like I said Jack I was going to the truck to get something, but I forgot that I hadn't brought anything with me. Old age you know?" he said and smirked a little.

Jack raised his eyebrows, considering that but smelling a lie. Smirking himself he asked, "What exactly did you think you'd left in the truck, Danny boy?"

*Crap* Daniel thought. He grinned suddenly at Jack and said, "Well I thought I had brought a book with me. You know I bring books home with me and I thought I had brought one with me yesterday, so I figured I'd go look in the truck and see if I had one there because I couldn't find it at the house or in my office."

Jack looked from the keys in his hands back to Daniel's face, figuring it out. "Uh huh," Jack gave him a discerning look. "Daniel, remind me to let you in to my poker circle when you're grown again."

"Huh?" Daniel questioned as he looked at Jack with confusion written on his face. *What the heck did that mean?* Daniel thought.

"You're terrible at bluffing, Daniel," Jack said conspiratorially. "It'd be nice to actually win at cards for a change."

Daniel had the feeling he'd been found out but wasn't willing to go without a fight. "Sooo, are we gonna go get that book? I left Sam in the lab trying to decipher the symbols I gave her, but the book will definitely be helpful and we can get me back to my rightful age before the week is up," Daniel said trying to get Jack's mind on a different path.

Jack smiled warmly and wrapped his arm around him. "Daniel, what were you gonna do with those keys before you said I could come along? You see, I'd hate to think you were gonna take my truck, being that you can't see and it isn't yours."

Daniel relaxed against Jack until he started to speak. "Oh no Jack I would never do that, even though I can see better than when I was an adult, Janet said so. Like I said I thought I had brought a book with me is all," Daniel said smiling back.

Jack eyed him, "Ok Daniel. It's good to know that we can be honest with each other – honesty and trust being the foundations of friendships and families and all that. Let's go get that book then...wouldn't want to keep Carter waiting."

Daniel's heart sunk at the words. That had hurt and he guessed it was aimed to. "No we wouldn't want to do that," Daniel muttered softly. He followed Jack quietly to his truck unable to say much of anything.

Jack let the silence hang in the air, wanting Daniel to consider his actions as they walked to the truck. Climbing in, he shots his eyes over to his linguist, heart softening at the sad little face. Pursing his lips, he realized going soft on Daniel would be the worst thing he could do, and so instead he raised an eyebrow in a meaningful way and began the drive to Daniel's apartment.

Daniel barely looked at Jack and once in the truck he avoided looking at him all together. He stared miserably out the window, missing the look Jack gave him. The more he thought about it the more he worked himself up and the more miserable he became, by the time they reached his apartment, he was close to bawling. He got out of the truck and led the way up to his apartment and pulled the keys from his pocket. Right now he was ready to lock himself in his room, throw himself on his bed and bawl miserably until he had nothing more to cry out. He stood there in the middle of the living room staring at the floor.

Well that was all Jack could take. Once he saw Daniel ready to sob and staring at the floor like an abandoned child, Jack snatched him up in a fierce hug. "Ok Danny, ok, I think you've been punished enough." That was only partly true, considering what Daniel had considered doing, but Jack was only human, gosh darn it, he had a heart! "But don't you _ever_ try anything like that again or you'll be sorry! Got it, buddy?"

Jack wrapping him in a hug so suddenly startled Daniel a bit, but once he realized what was going on he wrapped his arms around Jack and sobbed quietly against him. He nodded at Jack's question. He felt miserable at what he'd thought of doing. "I'm sorry D-Jack," he said quietly hoping Jack didn't hear the almost slip up.

Jack smiled into Daniel's hair, hugging him harder at the near slip. "Ok," he answered happily, intent to keep Daniel in the hug until the boy pulled away himself.

Daniel shuddered and sobbed against Jack. How could he easily forgive him like that? He had lied to him and would've done something illegal had Jack let him. This realization made him cry harder. Finally Daniel was just sniffling, still clinging to Jack. He made no move to leave Jack's arms, instead he seemed to draw closer to him. His head lay on Jack's shoulder.

Resting his chin on Daniel's head and slightly rocking him as he continued to hold onto him, Jack wondered if anyone other than Daniel's parents had shown him any affection at all. If not, that was around twenty years without a hug! Hugging him tighter, Jack simply couldn't imagine how anyone hadn't bothered to take an interest, care for and love this little guy. Daniel certainly made it easy to do, even with the trouble he often found himself in.

Daniel began to pull away after about ten minutes, but he couldn't look at Jack as he was still ashamed of himself. "I'll go find my book," Daniel said solemnly and slunk away from Jack. He made off to his room and found his duffle bag. He grabbed up the book that had the symbols he wanted and shoved it in the bag. Daniel then spied the other thing he wanted half hidden under his bed. He grabbed it up and quickly shoved it in his bag. He picked up a couple of more things and shoved them in effectively hiding the one item completely and then sat on his bed. Jack was being too good to him and he felt like he didn't deserve it.

By this time, Jack had wandered into the room after Daniel to see what he was up to. Seeing the kid still looking upset was unsettling, and so Jack grabbed up a chunk of carved rock that was sitting on the dresser and plopped down next to him on the bed, tracing a finger over the carvings. "So, did you find the book?"

"Yeah, it's in my bag," Daniel said quietly as he flicked a quick glance up. When he saw Jack with the rock, he stiffened slightly. He tried to relax not wanting Jack to know that it bothered him to see him with one of his favorite things. If Jack knew, he might hurl it down and break it. He shook his head slightly. No, Jack wouldn't do that. He could though, for punishment. The fifteen-year- old and the thirty-year- old were at war again inside his mind.

Jack caught the dirty look Daniel had given him when he saw the rock. Jack knew he had busy hands, always had, and had often been reprimanded because of it in his youth. The lesson just never took. "Sorry," he muttered, putting the rock back. "I'm not setting a very good example for minding other people's things, am I?" He smirked down at Daniel mischievously.

Daniel's eyes went wide. He didn't know what to say. "What are you going to do?" Daniel asked finally, knowing there had to be some sort of punishment. He needed to know what to expect.

"I'm gonna try and not fiddle with your stuff so much," Jack said both gently and carefully, seeing the fear on Daniel's face. "...we both have a problem with that, don't we?" Jack smiled.

"I-I didn't mean that, I meant what are you going to do to m-me?" Daniel stuttered a bit. "It's it's ok if you want to look at it, just-just don't break it, please," Daniel said softly as he began to chew on his bottom lip.

"Daniel, I'd never do anything like that. Gah – you know me! When have I ever done anything like that?" Jack waved his hands at the question, realizing Daniel was acting on learned behaviours rather than on his actual intellect. "...Listen Danny, it's ok. You'll see. Maybe it's good this happened," Jack motioned to indicate he meant the de-aging. "Now you'll get to learn how childhoods are supposed to go. They're supposed to be great, wonderful things – and I'm gonna show you that."

Daniel cringed slightly at Jack when he shouted. "So, you don't want me to get older yet?" he asked. He realized Jack hadn't answered his other question yet and decided he wasn't going to ask again. Maybe Jack hadn't heard him, or maybe he'd forgotten about punishing him. He looked at Jack and waited.

"Only if that's what you want...I just want what's best for you." Jack sat back down on the bed, a little lost. He was beginning to wonder if he was doing any good at all.

Daniel made a noise of frustration. He wanted to know exactly what Jack wanted. "Jack, what do you want from me? I mean I've been living with you for barely a day and I don't know what exactly it is I need to do," Daniel said sounding lost and confused.

Jack looked at him for a long moment, thinking about what was said and how he should answer. Finally he said quietly, "Danny, I know you're confused. That's ok. I want you to relax, to learn to trust, to have some fun and to follow the few rules I set for you. I also want you to tell me what you need, what you want and to be honest with me. I need to know what's going on in that head of yours, even if you think you shouldn't tell me. That's it. Ok?"

Daniel relaxed slightly. "That's what I want to know, the rules. I-I think you said something about rules yesterday, but you never gave me any. What you want from me? Are-Are those the rules?" he asked still slightly confused as he buried his head against Jack.

Jack's eyes widened, _'D'oh. I forget to set the rules. Way to go, O'Neill.'_ Clearing his voice, he thought over what the rules should be. "Yea. I also want you to do what I tell you. You know I'm not going to demand anything unreasonable. ...and if you've forgotten that, you'll learn. As far as actual set rules go: no running off, no lies or sneakiness, nothing dangerous and no touching or using things you shouldn't. Is that clear enough? ...anything I'm missing or that you don't understand?"

Daniel all but melted against Jack's side. He now had what he needed; something most foster homes failed to provide, clear cut rules. He could live with the rules Jack set forth. "Thanks Jack," he said softly. He had said that he wasn't going to bring it up again, but it was bothering him. "Jack, am I in trouble?" he asked keeping his head against Jack not wanting to look at him.

"Not for anything I know about. Not anymore," Jack said plainly. "I think you punished yourself enough on the way over, and I want you to let it go. But like I said, you ever try to pull a stunt like that again, and I'm going to spank you and then ground you. Got it?" Jack ruffled his hair playfully.

"I'll try," Daniel said at the first part of what Jack said, at the second half he just nodded. He laid there against Jack wishing he had found Jack first. Life would've been so much easier with somebody who actually liked him. Finally he pulled away. "I guess we'd better go before we're missed," he said as he stood up and grabbed his duffle bag.

"If you're ready, we can go," Jack answered. He was surprised at how easily Daniel had accepted being told the rules. Suddenly everything seemed much better and more hopeful.

"Yeah, I mean I don't want you to get in trouble with the general for being off base," Daniel answered. He stood there a minute and then walked over to his dresser and fingered the photograph there. It was a picture of his parents and him in the desert. He picked it up and blinked back the tears that were starting to form in his eyes. He laid the picture carefully in his bag. He wanted it to go to Jack's with him. "I'm ready," he said.

"Oh, you let me worry about ol' Georgey ok?" Jack joked as he began walking out of the apartment.

Daniel snickered at that as he followed Jack. "Good thing he can't hear you say that," Daniel said and laughed again.

Jack just smirked mischievously.


	9. Chapter 9: An Outing

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry this update took so long! Between my serious health problems and Enelya Falcone's previous computer problems, this chapter is a Very long time coming. If I can stay healthy you can expect new chapters in a timely fashion - this story is NOT abandoned! Thank you so much for your continued interest, we appreciate very much!

* * *

The ride back to the base was relaxing and full of friendly conversation. After signing in, the two said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Reluctantly, Jack went back to the hated paperwork as he grumbled under his breath.

Daniel had left his duffle bag in the truck and just brought the book that he and Sam would need. He headed down the hall towards her lab, though as he got closer his footsteps became slower as he contemplated staying the way he was. He entered the lab. "Hi Sam I found the book," he said sounding not as excited as he had before.

Sam looked up at the unsure sound of Daniel's voice. "Didn't it have the information you needed?"

"Huh? Oh yeah it did. Here it's on page 321. Uhm you don't mind if I go back to my office do you?" Daniel asked.

Sam's eyes widened in shock, "Yea sure Danny, but...you don't want to help work on this?"

"Well, I've got something to work on in my office. I'll…I'll be back later," Daniel said leaving before Sam could say anything else. He headed back to his office and flounced down on the couch with a sigh.

Sam blinked in confusion at Daniel's rapidly disappearing form, but before she could say anything he was gone. Something was definitely off. She looked at the book a long moment before thinking better of it and turned on her heel to go find Jack.

After about fifteen minutes of checking all of the Colonel's usual haunts, she happened past his office on her way to the infirmary and noticed the light within his office shining under the closed door. Quirking a smile, she knocked and waited.

Jack sat at his desk with a rapidly growing headache. He sighed as he picked up another folder before sitting up straighter at the sound of the knock. "Come in," he yelled with the beginning of a smile playing on his lips.

Sam entered Jack's office and shut the door behind her. "Sir, are you...what are you smiling at? Is something wrong?" Sam asked as she began to look herself over.

Meanwhile in his own office, Daniel was having conflicting thoughts running through his head. He missed being an adult but this being a kid again thing wasn't so bad this time. Of course being with Jack made it better. The question was did he want to do it all again and did he want all those old squashed away memories to be drudged up again? He sighed once more.

"Just happy ta see ya, Carter," Jack said in a childlike innocent tone, giving his best put out face while quickly pushing the file work away from him. He looked up at her with a playful intent look, hands folded eagerly on the desk. "What can I do for ya?"

Sam raised her eyebrow again. "Uh huh. Well I was wondering what's going on with Daniel? He seemed fine when he came to see me earlier, but when he came back from getting the book he wanted me to see he...he didn't seem quite himself. He seemed almost hesitant to give it to me and then he didn't even stay. He retreated to his office. Did something happen?" she asked as she poured out her tale.

Taking a deep breath, Jack admitted, "Danny Boy's having a good old time being a kid again. He's not sure he wants to rush back to adulthood right away. Go ahead and work on it if you can, but give'em time. Let him come to you about it."

"Exactly how long should I wait sir? I mean I glanced at the book, but there's no way I can decipher the language. That's what I need Daniel for. He didn't exactly look like he was enjoying being a kid either sir. I'll go back to the lab though so I don't disturb you anymore," Sam said as she turned to go.

Jack's eyes took on a desperate look at that, "No! Wait!" Looking around to think of a good line of reasoning, he finished, "..giving up so soon? I thought you and Daniel were close - we gotta figure out what to do."

Sam wasn't as startled the second time Jack shouted. She was a little confused at his words though as she turned back to face him. "Now wait a minute sir, you just told me to give Daniel some time and let Daniel come to me when he's ready and now you're telling me not to?" she asked. When she looked at Jack she noticed the still slightly desperate look on his face. She looked at the pile of files on his desk and then looked at Jack again understanding dawning on her face. A smirk appeared on her face as she figured out why Jack didn't seem to want her to go. She didn't say anything just waited.

Seeing Sam's smirk, Jack settled down a bit as he knew the brilliant woman had figured out exactly what was going on. Grinning up at her, he motioned to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Take a seat, Carter, tell me how all of this makes you feel," Jack joked before his face took on a serious look. "How ya holdin' up?"

"Uh huh and who are you today? Freud? Paperwork a little overwhelming today Sir?" she asked as she sat down. She sighed at his question and looked down at her lap a moment before looking up. "I miss Daniel. I mean the thirty year old Daniel. I don't have anything against this Daniel, but the other Daniel was my friend and we had fun together. This one is... I don't know. I'm just confused when he jumps emotions and his need to be alone all the time. I mean sure thirty old Daniel was happy as a lark if he got to be alone with his books, but he'd still wanna hang out especially if someone had something that needed translating. Is it wrong for me to wish he was an adult again sir?" she asked.

"No, it isn't wrong of you. I get it. Of course you miss him – you and Daniel have always been close," Jack consoled. "But with that childhood of his, I'm bettin' that he needs this, and if we hang in there with'em, all this running off to be alone will end. Give it time. He's still Daniel. Maybe you two need  
to spend some off time together."

"What would we do sir? I'm not really sure Daniel would want to hang out with me anyway. I'm not exactly in his age bracket sir," Sam said as she looked at him. She was quiet a minute letting the rest of what Jack had said sink in. "How bad was his childhood before?" she asked looking up concerned.

Jack shot her an uncomfortable look, "Bad. I don't know all the details, but I've had gunshot wounds that seem more fun than what he's described." Jack fiddled with his pen for a moment, thinking things over. "I think it'd be good for Danny to 'hang out' with you, seeing how close you two are. You could play big sis or Auntie Sam if it gets awkward, Carter. Go see a movie and take'em for ice cream or something. I'm not pushing you, but I think it'd do some good."

Sam wanted to ask more but didn't want to pry. "Take him for ice cream sir? He's fifteen, not five," Sam said softly snickering. "I'll see what Daniel thinks is a good idea. I'll go see if he wants to do something now and leave you to your work. You need to be getting back to work," she said with a smirk as she stood up.

"I'd like it if you took _'me'_ for ice cream," Jack groused under his breath, irritated that his escape from the files had been so short lived. "Great. Good. Off with you, then, Carter," Jack smiled, trying to offer the encouragement he knew she deserved.

Sam snickered softly at Jack's grumblings. "Maybe when you've been a good boy and finished your work," Sam said with a laugh as she ducked out the door and decided to go find Daniel.

Daniel paced his office wondering what to do. He had no desire to work on anything at the moment. He wasn't sure why either. He was still working on the fact that he rather liked being a child at the moment. Of course he had no desire to feel Jack's hand again but that was easily remedied. Never give Jack a reason to.

Jack glowered at Sam for the sarcastic comment, but there was some evident humor behind it. Once she was out of sight, he grabbed the file he'd been working on and began scribbling out his report once more. "...finish my work," he grumbled in irritation and made a sour face, "...yea, ok, *_Mom_*."

Arriving at Daniel's office, Sam cleared her throat and knocked on the door. "Hey Daniel, got a minute?"

Daniel looked over at the door and opened it. "Yeah come on in Sam," he said holding the door open. Once she was in, he shut it and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I-I guess you need my help huh? I-I can come help...if that's what you want," Daniel said as he waited to hear Sam's response looking like a kicked puppy.

Sam's eyes widened as she took in Daniel's glum demeanor. "Ah, actually I was wondering if you'd be up to hanging out. I'm sure I could get off early," she said in a shy tone.

Daniel looked up a little surprised. "Really? What would we go do?" Daniel asked. He didn't mind hanging out with Sam, she was a lot like him in some ways.

Sam smiled and giggled, "What would you like to do?" Their interests were so similar, she knew that she'd enjoy anything he'd come up with, and so she wanted him to choose.

Daniel's face lit up at her question. "I can choose really?" He asked. The other homes he'd been in had never cared about his choice. He had to go where they wanted. "Could we go to the museum?" he asked beginning to lightly bounce on the balls of his feet.

Leaning in, Sam whispered playfully, "We sure can! Let me just clear it with the general – you can come along, and we can leave right away."

Daniel's grin got so big he could've eaten a banana sideways. "Great!" he exclaimed as he hefted his bag up on to his shoulder and was ready to happily follow Sam.

Sam nodded and led the way to the General's office. The door was open, as usual, but she knocked anyway as she went in.

"Sir, you mind if I take Daniel out for some r&r? There's not much else I can do here right now," she said.

General Hammond had smiled when he saw the two of them enter, and kept his smile throughout. "I don't see why that would be a problem."

Daniel was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he heard they were given leave to go. "Thanks General," Daniel said smiling.

"You're welcome. Go and enjoy yourself," Hammond said with a warm smile before nodding a dismissal to them both.

Sam smiled at Daniel, raising her eyebrows to ask if he was ready to go.

Daniel nodded his head, still grinning. He couldn't wait to go and maybe if he could persuade her he could talk Sam into getting lunch as well. He had cash on him now as well as his credit cards.

Sam nodded back happily before leading the way to her car. As if reading his mind she said, "I'm getting hungry – wanna get lunch after the museum?"

"Yeah sounds good. I'm getting hungry too," Daniel said following Sam to her car.

"Maybe we can go to Herbie's Pizza? We haven't been there in months," Sam said, putting the key in the ignition.

Daniel's stomach growled at the mention of pizza. He nodded his head though completely thrilled with the thought. "Pizza sounds great Sam. It can be my treat," he said with a grin.

"Thanks Daniel," Sam gave him a wrinkle-nosed grin. Shocked at how right Jack had been, she was very happy that she decided to humor her team leader. "I wonder if they have any new exhibits?"

"I dunno, it's been a while since I've been there," Daniel said as they rode along. He couldn't help but compare this car ride with the one with Jack. He felt more at ease with Sam. He went quiet as he contemplated the differences between Sam and Jack and then suddenly realized they hadn't asked Jack if he wanted to go, or asked if they could go.

Noticing the smile vanishing from her friend, Sam asked "What's wrong?"

"Oh I was just thinking that we didn't invite Jack. He might've liked tagging along," Daniel said as he gave a small grin at Sam.

"Don't worry, he had too much work to do to come with us; but he did want to," she said honestly. "Maybe next time we can bring him and make up new stories to go along with all the exhibits so he doesn't get bored," she added devilishly with a smirk.

"Yeah he sure didn't want to do all that paperwork he had," Daniel mused. He chuckled softly at Sam's words. "Yeah and or touch anything."

"_Anything_ to get out of the paperwork!" Sam started laughing outright, "He's terrible about that, isn't he?"

Daniel started laughing as well, the first time since he'd been turned sixteen again and nodded. "Yeah it's not so bad if you keep on top of it, but now it looks like it's on top of him," Daniel said as he started laughing again.

"You should have seen him trying to worm his way out of it," Sam said in between giggles.

"I did. He did it earlier with me. Can't say he doesn't try his darnedest though," Daniel said chuckling.

Sam rolled her eyes as she laughed happily, "He can be the biggest baby of us all – and he's always coming in and touching all of my scientific equipment."

"Yeah my stuff too," Daniel said. He chuckled at what happened with Janet earlier. "He tried touching things in the med bay earlier and Janet called him on it. He didn't think she was looking and you should've seen the look on his face," Daniel said grinning with amusement.

Sam laughed happily, fondly imagining her team leader performing such antics. "I bet Janet really laid into him!"

"Yeah, she told Jack he had to clean and sterilize all the instruments he touched and he left without touching them. I think Janet will probably snag him later and still make him do it. She's picky about her stuff," Daniel said his chuckles getting quieter as he had pretty much laughed himself out but kept smiling at Sam as she laughed.

"Oh, I dunno. It would be funny, though," Sam said in between laughs. "I kind of hope Janet does, maybe he'd finally learn! ...you really think she would?"

"Yeah I do, she'll get Jack eventually," Daniel said with a mischievous grin.

Sam laughed happily as she made the turn into the museum. "I hope I can see it when she does," she said playfully. Pulling into a parking space, she shut off the engine and looked over at Daniel with another smile.

"You and me both Sam," Daniel said. When he got out of the car he stared at the museum with wide eyed delight. He knew they would be here quite a while and he knew where he was heading first. The Egyptian area.

Sam stood back and watched Daniel gazing at the museum for a moment before stepping to his side. "Lead the way," she said, grinning playfully. She had a good idea where they'd go first, but wanted him to choose their destination, seeing how obviously excited he was.

A huge grin split Daniel's face and all thoughts of Janet, Jack and his monstrous pile of paperwork disappeared as he tugged Sam forward excitedly by her arm towards the museum.

Once inside he ducked and dodged people whenever he had to pulling Sam along for the ride. Once at the Egyptian section of the museum, Sam was all but forgotten as well as Daniel began to drink in his surroundings.

Sam's eyes momentarily widened in surprise as Daniel had tugged her towards the Egyptian section, soon giggling at his antics as other museum goers had jumped out of their way. She'd allowed herself to be led, and then abandoned, enjoying the glee that had Daniel nearly dancing around the exhibit. Letting him bounce around until he was ready to turn to her again, Sam let her eyes explore the soaring statues and carved stone, grinning all the while.

Daniel let his hand hover over certain things wanting to touch but knowing he couldn't. He walked over and looked at the canopic jars that held the organs of the mummy. They always fascinated him. His thoughts still on what was before him.

Seeing his temptation, Sam stepped to his side to help him curb his instinct to touch the items on display. Leaning in close, she looked at the intricate design on the myopic jars before standing up straight again. "This is amazing," she said conversationally.

Daniel, having been totally absorbed in the jars, startled at Sam's voice and whirled around on her quickly. His eyes wide as he backed away bumping into a few of the other visitors.

When he realized it was Sam that had spoken to him, his breathing slowed and he ducked his head as he went sheepishly back over to Sam. "Sorry," he mumbled his cheeks flaming red with embarrassment.

"No need to be," Sam blinked slowly, quickly trying to figure out how best to make Daniel feel better. She decided looking at the exhibit rather than at him was best. "Gee, I haven't been here in so long. Most of these look like new acquisitions! It's always amazing just how good condition all of this stuff is in."

An elderly couple who he'd bumped into walked up and smiled at him warmly.

"It's easy to get that absorbed in this stuff, isn't it?" the man said. "It's happened to me plenty of times," he laughed.

The woman leaned in and said in a playful whisper, "Nearly every time we're here!"

Daniel still red with embarrassment nodded and smiled a little to both Sam and the older couple. He moved away from all three for a few minutes. He wasn't sure how to react. His first instinct was to get angry but neither the younger nor the older Daniel could get angry with Sam.

Older Daniel couldn't be angry with the older couple either. It wasn't their fault, but younger Daniel wanted to. They had embarrassed him. He warred with his older self in his head until he turned to the couple and ducked his head. He grinned at the older couple when he looked up and said, "I've been interested in Egyptian artifacts ever since I was little. It is easy to get absorbed." He gave a small look at Sam and then looked at the couple and whispered loudly to the man, "Happens to me nearly all the time, too."

The old man's smile widened and he nodded while looking at the exhibit, "Yea, yea – this stuff'll do it to ya! Can you imagine an entire city looking like this?"

Sam had been watching Daniel war with himself, but couldn't help the giggle that escaped at what the man had said.

"OH I know, the pyramids and the sphinx. All that sand and heat. It would be a great place to live," Daniel said enthusiastically.

"You sound just like my husband," the older woman laughed playfully. "He'd be perfectly happy to live out in a desert – but me? Well I think Florida is the most extreme climate I could manage!"

"Ahhh, she just wants to watch young hunks play volleyball on the beach!" The old man joked, giving Sam and Daniel a conspiratory wink.

"Oh Jacob!" The woman laughed, lightly smacking her husband on the arm and blushing as she grinned at Sam and Daniel. "Notice some men playing volleyball _Once_ on _One_ vacation…" she playfully rolled her eyes.

Jacob laughed and then looked back at the exhibit, "Yup, it sure is a wonder this stuff. We're saving up to go visit Egypt next year. Couldn't be more excited!"

"Wow a trip next year to Egypt. I envy you. I sure would like to take a trip to Egypt, that would be great," Daniel said wistfully.

Sam piped in quickly brightly, "You never know, another trip might be in your future soon!"

Jacob turned with raised eyebrows, "ANOTHER? You mean you've already been? …and at _your_ age? Well let me say, I envy _you_, mister!" Jacob laughed, clearly impressed.

Daniel's smile faltered a bit, but he nodded and answered the man. "Yeah when I was younger with my parents," he said his voice becoming softer with each word. He ducked his head and then mumbled to Sam that he was going to use the bathroom and took off before she could say anything.

Sam ducked her head, inwardly cursing that she hadn't seen that coming.

Jacob looked at Sam in confusion, "I didn't mean to upset the young man, Miss."

Sam gave an awkward half smile and said, "His parents were archeologists and died putting up an Egyptian exhibit in another museum. They used to take him to Egypt all the time."

The three of them looked around awkwardly for a moment as the elder two took in the shocking information and Sam tried to figure out a way to get to Daniel after he'd run off to the security of a men's only restroom.

"Want me to go in and have a word with him?" Jacob offered.

Sam didn't like the idea, but was afraid it may be her only option. Calling Jack so soon was something she'd like to avoid if possible. Thinking about it another moment she smiled at the elderly couple, "Let me see if I can't get him to come out first. If not, it might be a big help."

The couple both nodded. "You know where to find us," Jacob said.

With a friendly nod Sam went to the restroom and knocked on the door. Pulling it open less than an inch she called out 'Daniel?' without looking in.

Daniel had been sitting against a wall just out of sight of the door, but when he heard Sam's voice he jerked his head up, eyes red and swollen from crying. "W-what?" he asked hoping Sam couldn't hear the tremor in his voice.

Hearing the tears in his voice, Sam melted, even as her heart rate quickened, and she slid down the wall to sit on the floor just outside the bathroom, her foot propping the door open. On the one hand, she wanted to run in and give him a hug, on the other she felt a bit awkward because she was scared about handling this right. "I wanted to check on you…I was worried. Gosh, if it were me I'd be pretty torn up right now – I know you're going through a lot! Is there anything I can do for you, Daniel?" Sam asked, her eyes moving back and forth as she waited for an answer.

Daniel took a ragged breath. He heard the concern and worry in Sam's voice but for some reason he couldn't get mad at her like he would've Jack. Sam, Sam was different. Sam was like a big sister, he could tell things to Sam that he couldn't tell Jack. "I don't know who I want to be anymore Sam. I miss being the grown up me, but the kid me, he likes it now. Well some of it. He's hiding right now, he doesn't want to come out because he..." Daniel stopped and went quiet for several minutes.

"I like you Sam," Daniel answered, his voice softer. "I'm afraid though that if I come out of here right now I'll get upset with you or the couple for making me so upset that I ran in here. Don't tell Jack about this okay?" he asked letting her know that the fifteen year old had slipped back out and was doing his darnedest to hold on to his temper.

The corners of Sam's mouth pulled up slightly as she listened to her friend, "You didn't do anything wrong. I won't tell Jack. We can work on figuring out how to get you back to your normal age while you figure out what you want to do. Just because we figure it out doesn't mean that you have to switch back right away. …you know you're one of my closest friends, right?"

"It feels like I have though. Jack's nice, not like most foster parents I've been with. I feel like he gets frustrated with me though when I get upset. I know you're my friend Sam, though really, you're my like a big sister. The kind that you can tell anything to and you know they won't go blabbin' to anyone about what you said," Daniel said all the while moving closer to the door and finally sitting against the wall where the door was so he could peer out at Sam, his face still showing signs of the crying he'd been doing before Sam had gotten there.

"You haven't. It might be hard to believe, and it might not be how you feel, but you haven't done anything wrong. Actually I really can't see him getting frustrated about that. It must be something else - maybe he feels like he isn't helping you the way you need or like he's no good when people get upset?" Sam shrugged. "My closest friends _are_ my family, and I'm glad to hear that you feel the same way – I always wanted a little brother," Sam smiled. "I think we all need someone we can confide in. I'm happy I'm still that person for you." Hearing Daniel move closer, Sam tilted her face towards the door in case he wanted to see her, but kept her eyes out towards the museum.

The corner of Daniel's mouth turned up slightly at Sam's words about Jack. He turned his head to look at her and saw she was staring out into the museum. "You can look at me you know I'm just sitting here on the floor," Daniel said softly.

"Maybe we could look in a different part of the museum for a while, just till I feel like coming back here," Daniel offered.

Sam's mouth quirked and she looked at Daniel with a small grin. She nodded at his offer. "That sounds good, which area do you want to go to?"

Daniel shrugged and said, "I dunno, why don't you pick."

Sam's eyes brightened with interest as she thought about which exhibit she'd like to visit. "Let's go to the Red Rock Canyon exhibit and look at all the fossils! I still can't believe some of the fish and dinosaurs that lived around here. It'll be cool!"

Daniel perked up a bit. "That sounds cool. Let's do it," he said as he stood up and finally left the men's room.

Sam hopped up and dusted herself off, eager to check out the exhibit that she had actually never seen before. The fact that she had successfully cheered Daniel – or, at least seemed to of cheered up Daniel – brightened her mood so much that she was nearly bouncing as she walked, "Isn't strange, in all our travels, we haven't seen any evidence of dinosaur fossils?"

Daniel stopped and cocked his head much like a curious pup at Sam's words. "Yeah that is strange. Huh that might be something to look into the next time we go off planet," Daniel said not realizing at the moment that he probably wouldn't be going off planet any time soon.

"Oh definitely," Sam said, grinning to herself for a moment at the little head thing Daniel had done. It was comforting that, even if he was younger and some things were different, he still had the same recognizable expressions. "But I think that's more your area – so it'll have to wait until you're going off world with us again," Sam said, smiling at him warmly.

"I hope we go off world again soon. I can't wait to explore that possibility," Daniel said as he actually began walking a little faster towards the exhibit. The fifteen year old had been pushed away for the moment as Daniel's eager explorer side came to the front.

Sam recognized the lapse by what he'd said and decided not to draw attention to it. They had just gotten to the exhibit and to the left of them stood a giant rock with both the fleshy outline and skeleton of a very large, odd looking fish. "Look at this guy!" Sam said excitedly with a grin.

"Oh wow. Can you just imagine that guy swimming around now?" Daniel said pulling out a notebook from his backpack he had to sketch what he saw.

Sam's mouth twitched, "What do you think the Colonel would do if he found this on the end of his line?" She chuckled a bit at the image, imagining Jack jumping and then curiously studying the strange creature living in his 'empty' lake.

Daniel grinned at the mental image. "Too bad we couldn't find something that size to mess with Jack a bit. That would be fun," Daniel said already plotting in his head on how to do something like that.

Snickering, Sam said, "It would! Well, they make these cool robotic tarantulas and rats that look pretty real – Cassandra's friend had them last time I was at Janet's. I don't know about fish. That'd be hard to control and we'd have to go to the cabin with him. He'd get too suspicious if we wanted to go."

"I don't think Jack's afraid of spiders or rats though...is he?" Daniel asked a little frustrated that he couldn't remember. "As for the cabin he was talking the other day about bringing me there. I bet we could come up with something. If he mentions it again, I could ask if you could come, we could bring stuff with us and come up with something waterproof that we could run in the water that would give Jack something to think about," Daniel said with a large grin forming on his face.

Sam's eyes widened, "…I don't know if he is either. What _does_ scare him?" For a moment her eyes scanned back and forth as though she were reading her memories and coming up blank. Finally shrugging she said, "That just might work. If you make it seem like it's _his_ idea and then invite me after…I could whip something up that would work in the water." Sam smiled at their idea.

Daniel nodded eagerly and continued to sketch the fossil. When he was done he looked at Sam and said, "That sounds like a plan. Jack won't know what hit him."

Laughing in delight at Daniel's seriousness about the prank, Sam nodded behind him to a reconstructed velociraptor skeleton. "Think he'll scream as our monster comes out of the water at him?"

"I seriously hope so that would be the best ever," Daniel said and then a niggling of doubt crept into his mind and the teen emerge with a serious question. "You don't think he'll be mad when he sees it's just a prank.. do you?" He stared at Sam watching to see what her face and eyes would reveal before she spoke.

Sam sniggered again, "Maybe for just a second, and then he'll pretend to be angry for the attention, but he'll get a kick out of it. It'll be funny. Of course, he'll whine _forever_ about it." Looking at Daniel she saw his worry, "If he was going to get angry, I wouldn't have agreed to do it, Danny."

Daniel bit his bottom lip for a moment then slowly released it and nodded. A small smile formed on his face. "Ok Sam," he said and then crinkled his nose. "Don't call me Danny, Sam. You make me sound like I'm eight." He smiled at her then.

Sam laughed out loud at that, "Daniel it is!" Looking back to the exhibit, her eyes widened. "I can't believe Jurassic Park got it so wrong – look at these! Velociraptors are about the size of a Beagle!"

"Movies tend to get things wrong when they don't research things fully," Daniel stated. As he looked around at more of the dinosaurs, his thoughts begin to drift towards Jack and the mound of paperwork the man had had on his desk when he saw him last. "You think Jack got all that paperwork done yet?" he asked.

Sam beamed mischievously, "I doubt it. I bet it'll take him hours because he's put it off for at least a month."

Daniel quietly thought about that for a minute. "You don't think it'll take him all day though, do you?" he asked hoping he and Jack could go home after he and Sam got back and watch movies. This of course might not be the case now.

"Oh no – if I know the Colonel then I know for a fact that he isn't going to even _try_ to get it all done in one go. He's probably searching for an excuse not to keep working on it, and General Hammond doesn't really mind it anyway," Sam said offhandedly as she looked around at all the fossils and skeletons.

Daniel nodded and then grinned. "Yeah you're probably right, Jack hates paperwork," he said as he walked over to another skeleton.

Sam's nose crinkled as she grinned, thinking about the Colonel's comical display that had led her to bring Daniel to the museum in the first place. "That he does," she mused as she continued looking around. "Gosh, look at some of these creatures. You know, we're lucky these guys don't live on any of the words we've visited, but I guess then there probably wouldn't be any gates on those planets."

"I know but there are places we haven't gone yet. There could be something like one of these guys there. Ya never know," Daniel said as he looked at the logical side of things. "Wow would you look at the teeth on this thing. This could literally sever a man's leg or worse," Daniel said as he got extremely close to one of the skeleton's mouths.

"Watch the alarms, that guard over there is giving us 'the eye,'" Sam whispered with a smirk, nodding to a crotchety old man in a suit and a name tag who was glaring at them from across the room, his walrus-like beard wiggling as he grimaced.

Daniel took one look at the guard, stepped away from the exhibit and started laughing. He began laughing so hard from the image he got in his head about the way the guard looked he doubled over and ended up finally falling on his butt still laughing. He couldn't help himself the image he had gotten in his head was too funny.

Sam couldn't help an awkward chuckle, crouching over Daniel as she looked back and forth from him to the guard. The guard's glare intensified and a look of overall disgust came over him until finally he shook his head turned away from the two miscreants. Wide eyed, Sam started giggling, enjoying finally seeing a carefree Daniel for probably the first time since she'd met him. "That was pretty funny, huh?!"

Daniel had to gasp for breath several times before he could properly answer Sam. "Sorry I got this image in my head of him looking like a turkey and that beard of his as the the little hanging thing...the shoot what's that thing called? Oh the wattle and the way it kept jiggling just struck me as funny. Guess he thinks we're nuts now huh?" Daniel asked the smile on his face huge.

Sam couldn't help but to give into real laughter as Daniel tried to explain, her nose and forehead crinkling as she shook her head a bit. She put a hand on his shoulder to steady himself as she laughed and nodded, taking a conspiratorial glance at the guard. Turning back to Daniel she whispered, "I'd say so, he's actually sputtering indignantly to himself now. Ah, that's funny – but we should be nice." Standing up, she stretched and offered him her hand as she smiled, "Come on, we should probably move along."

Hearing Sam laugh made Daniel laugh again. He accepted her help up and then looked at the guard again. He nodded at Sam and said "Yeah I guess we should. I think I'm ready to go back to the Egyptian exhibit again...if that's okay?" he asked. As they got nearer the guard, Daniel couldn't help the soft, "gobble gobble" that passed his lips. He couldn't seem to help himself.

Sam flinched and turned to give Daniel a surprised look, but before she could say anything the guard turned towards them.

"What's that, now?" He said in a voice that was a mixture of confusion, hurt feelings and the beginnings of annoyance.

Daniel looked a little confused at Sam wondering why she was looking at him that way. She had just laughed a moment ago.

When he saw the look and heard the tone of the guard's voice Daniel swallowed hard and said quickly, "I said sorry if we were any trouble." His face was red with embarrassment and hoped the guard hadn't really heard what he said.

The guard wriggled his mustache again as he narrowed his eyes, clearly not sure he should believe this excuse. Finally he nodded his head, "Apology accepted…but next time speak more clearly, son."

"Of course, we'll be sure to," Sam said, grabbing Daniel by the shoulders and steering him quickly out of the room.

Once out of sight of the guard, Daniel pulled away. Anger flashed in his eyes a moment, but then was gone when he asked, "What's wrong with you? You thought it was funny. You didn't have to shove me either."

He began stalking down the hall back towards the Egyptian room.

Sam was shocked for a moment before she regained her composure and went after him.

"Daniel," she called out, "come here."

Daniel heard her call to him, but refused to stop. The anger still bubbled inside and he wanted to get away. He stalked past the Egyptian area and kept going heading for the main doors that led outside.

Sam could not believe what she was seeing and was having none of it. Taking off at a full run, she quickly covered the space between them and got a firm grip on him.

"Daniel stop, that's enough," she said in her best 'disappointed Mother' tone as she pulled him back. "You can't just up and leave like that, it's rude. We also agreed to be nice to that guard, and for the record, I didn't shove you. I got us out of what could have been an unpleasant situation. Now what's going on with you?"

Daniel pulled away and glared. Teenage Daniel was out full force and he was pissed. "I was going outside to keep from being rude, but you don't seem to care. How was I supposed to know he had ears like a bat anyway? I only did it cause I didn't think he could hear me. And you did shove me. You just grabbed me and started pushing," Daniel ground out as he rounded on Sam.

Sam's eyes widened in surprise, "Don't seem to care? Daniel, think about what you're saying. Let's take a moment to calm down." She motioned towards a bench sitting near the entrance and waited to see if he'd go to sit before she moved.

Daniel gave a growl of frustration. "That's what I was going outside to do!" Daniel shouted. He ignored the offered seat and stormed outside anyway. He leaned his head against the wall and kicked at it with his shoe.

Sam took a deep breath, grinding her teeth a bit. Putting her hands on her hips she looked at the floor trying to decide what to do. Clearly Daniel was having a hormonal teenage tantrum, and clearly she was getting nowhere with him. After a bit of reflection she remembered needing time to cool off when she was that age, and so Sam decided to sit on the bench for a few minutes and wait to see what Daniel would do next.

Daniel paced around after he was done kicking the wall and then finally sat on the ground against the wall with his knees pulled up. He put his head down and sat there breathing heavily trying to cool off.

As Sam waited she gained even more respect for the Colonel, wondering how many times Daniel had thrown tantrums and stormed off under his watch already. She had really expected this to go better, and was lightly kicking herself for letting it get out of control. It dawned on her that the friend she knew really was locked away, and that she really did need to treat him like a child but that firmness wasn't the way. Getting up, she walked outside to check on him. Seeing him curled up and breathing heavily, she sat down next to him and asked softly, "What's going on with you? Why are you hurting?"

Daniel kept his head buried in his arms. He looked up slightly and said, "Go away Sam. I'm not ready to play nice yet." When he put his head back down he sighed heavily trying to keep his emotions reeled in.

Sam closed her eyes, trying to keep from getting annoyed, calmed herself and then looked at him. "Maybe going out was too much for you too soon. Maybe we should go back."

"Fine," Daniel said though when he raised his head, his eyes were red rimmed and he was sniffling slightly. He stood and pushed away from the wall and headed in the direction of the car.

Sam huffed quietly to herself and followed him, unlocking the car with the key remote and climbing in. Dealing with a friend and an equal who was suddenly a child was no easy task, she thought to herself as she fastened her seat belt.

Daniel got in, put his seatbelt on and laid his head against the glass. This sucked. He didn't mind being a teenager for the most part. A lot of it was fun and he knew where he stood with most people. Days like this though when the teenager took too much control and pissed someone off those days sucked a lot. He knew Sam was angry but he just couldn't bring himself to talk to her just yet. He was still angry and it never bode well if he was angry or upset and someone kept demanding answers.

He was sure Jack would hear of this and he groaned softly. Jack was going to kill him.

Seeing Daniel turn away from her and towards the window solidified Sam's decision to just leave him be. Instead she decided to just drive back to the base. Settled for an uncomfortably silent ride, she pulled into traffic.

As Daniel calmed down, he felt bad, but wasn't sure what to say. He knew he should apologize, but when he gave a small glance towards Sam, he wasn't sure she'd accept it at the moment. A silent tear made its way down Daniel's cheek. He was thankful it was the cheek up near the window. He couldn't bear for Sam to see him cry.

As Sam managed what little traffic there was, her mind began to work at the difficulties Daniel was experiencing. She tried imagining herself in his place and how it may make her feel at the age he currently..kind of..was. Eyes going large as they normally did when problem solving, Sam segmented her brain power into three parts: the largest part worked on understanding Daniel's trouble from his perspective, the next largest handled the traffic and the smallest part tried to keep aware of Daniel's current mood – which seemed better, though she wasn't certain she should glance over at the moment to make sure. She was getting curious, though, since his huffing had stopped even though his body looked tense from the corner of her eye.

Daniel was feeling worse with each passing moment. He hated having Sam angry with him. He turned his head more towards the window as the tears began to fall faster. He knew Jack was gonna be mad at him for making such a mess of what was supposed to be a fun outing. Everyone was mad or going to be and right now being a kid sucked. He began to sob as silently as he could. He just didn't want Sam to know he was crying.

Sam was startled out of her pondering when she heard a very quiet sniffle and, turning her head a fraction of an inch to the right, saw through the corner of her eye that Daniel was crying. Wanting very much to comfort her friend, she gently took his hand in hers and gave a slight squeeze.

Daniel froze at the contact from Sam. Did she know? He hoped not, but she could probably hear the sniffling he was doing. He squeezed her hand back though. He began to choke down the sobs as quietly a he could and once he felt he could speak, he said softly, "I'm sorry Sam."

Sam's face softened at the miserable tone of Daniel's apology. "We're going to be ok, Daniel," she said. "You're going through a lot right now."

Daniel nodded at Sam's words. He felt slightly comforted by the fact that Sam was no longer mad at him. "I'll find Jack and tell him what happened when we get back," Daniel said his voice still soft. He knew Jack would kill him, but was hopeful he'd wait till they got back to the house this time.

Sam smiled, it was just like the Daniel she knew to hold himself accountable for his actions. "Want me to be there when you do?"

Daniel worried his bottom lip at that question. He wasn't sure. Part of him did, but the other part didn't just in case Jack decided to handle matters in a certain way. Daniel turned to look at Sam, his hair hanging slightly over one eye, the other still red and wet with leftover tears. Finally he nodded. "Yeah, he'll want your side anyway," Daniel said his voice sounding a bit more dejected than usual.

Sam's eyes widened slightly and after a moment she gave him a questioning look as she said, "Maybe, but what I meant was would it make you feel better if I was there?"

Daniel looked at her like she had said something out of the ordinary. "Really?" He asked. He nodded and said, "Yeah I'd like that." He continued to look at Sam like that was the most interesting thing she had ever said.

Sam's eyes widened yet again at the question, and she couldn't help the good natured giggle that followed when she saw the surprise on his face after glancing at him before looking back at traffic. "Well good, I'll be there then."

Daniel nodded and squeezed Sam's hand as he turned back towards the window.

After driving for a few minutes in silence they were back at the base. Sam parked and looked at Daniel, "You ready?"

Daniel sighed heavily and shook his head. "No, but I guess I have to be. Might as well go and face the music," Daniel said as he released Sam's hand unbuckled and got out of the car.

Smiling reassuringly Sam said, "I doubt it'll be as bad as you think." before getting out of the car herself.

Daniel shrugged. It was easier to expect the worst and not have it happen than to expect something better and have the worst happen. He entered the base and headed towards Jack's office much like a condemned man.

Sam watched Daniel and fell in step next to him, glancing over every once in a while. His demeanor really had her worried, but she wasn't sure what to do other than just be there for him.

Jack had spent the short time they were gone doing paperwork… Well, the first ten minutes, anyway. It was then that he decided that a newer, steamier cup of coffee would help him knock out the files. He'd downed a third of the cup he had, but perhaps stretching his legs to get a fresher one would get his mind in the right place. Taking the long way, he passed Teal'c's quarters and decided to drop in on his friend. It was only polite, after all. Unfortunately, Teal'c was doing his meditation thing and that meant Jack needed to be on his way. Retracing half his route Jack made sure to avoid the General, who had made it clear that Jack needed to be making an impressive dent on the paperwork that had piled up.

Checking to make sure the coast was clear, Jack entered the cafeteria, poured himself another coffee and was on his way back to his office.

Daniel paused at his own door as he made his way to Jack's office and was tempted to just retreat inside and hide. He knew he couldn't do that though and he didn't want a repeat of what had happened the last time he ran. His head down as he headed to Jack's office almost caused him to run into the Colonel himself. Half startled to see Jack already he bit at his bottom lip and then said, "Oh uhm Hi Jack."

Sam pursed her lips when Daniel paused at his own door, but thankfully he began moving again before she said anything. It wasn't long before she saw the Colonel sauntering down the hall while still managing somewhat nervous looks over his shoulder.

Jack hadn't been paying too much attention to what was in front of him, and so he started a bit when he saw the sulking archeologist. "Dan-iel," Jack said suspiciously, more in the tone of a question as he looked from Daniel to Sam. "Back so soon?" came in an equally, but playful, suspicious tone and with a playful twinkle in his eye as he quite poorly feigned seriousness. He knew something had obviously gone wrong, but Daniel looked so pitiful that he couldn't be stern.

Daniel looked up at Jack and saw the twinkle in the man's eye. "Uhm yeah, we had a good time for the most part," Daniel said not wanting to get into what had happened just yet.

Jack's eyes narrowed and a suspicious smirk played on his lips, "Uh huh, yea, most people look just like that when they get back from a good time, too – you know_, like they're on their way __**to the gallows**__?"_ Jack straightened to his full height and gave Daniel his 'you better tell me what's going on' look.

Daniel shrank a little at the sight of Jack standing straight up and now staring at him. "Uhm well, maybe I got a little upset over something and I went outside with Sam chasing me," Daniel said his voice getting softer with each word. He had his shoulders scrunched up around his head now and he was looking at the floor.

"Daniel," Jack said, his voice irritated, "are you telling me that you ran off again?"

"Well, ah – sir," Sam cut in nervously, "he did tell me where he was going."

Jack sighed and ran a hand over his hair. "Maybe we should take this into my office, kids, I'm thinkin' I need to hear the whole story on this one," he said, giving Daniel a glance as he held the door open and waved them both in.

At Jack asking if he ran off again, Daniel's head shot up as he stared wide eyed at the man. He was glad he had asked Sam to come along when she spoke up but he felt like he said the wrong thing and then when waved in the office, he walked in his head bowed once more.

Jack watched as Daniel walked into his office like a kicked puppy, slightly ashamed he'd let his irritation show. The look Sam was giving him when she passed made him feel worse, and he looked to the ceiling for some saving grace, but saw none. Walking around his desk, he pushed the hated files aside, set down his coffee and pinched the bridge of his nose before saying, in the calmest and gentlest tone possible, "Would one of you like to tell me _exactly_ what's goin' on?"

Sam looked to Daniel to see how he wanted to play this out, trying to convey with a glance that she didn't mind explaining.

Daniel stood there and shuffled his feet. He didn't know where to start or what to say. He looked over at Sam and when he saw the look she gave him, he bit at his bottom lip. He finally nodded after a minute knowing he'd either get upset or pissed again.

Jack hid the amusement and happiness he felt at seeing the two work together like this. It made him proud. Instead, he took a long sip of coffee and waited.

Sam took the cue, nodding and looked at Jack, "It started great, sir, but …" Sam remembered her promise to Daniel, and wasn't certain whether it covered his getting sad in the Egyptian section or if he had only meant his confusion about returning to his normal age. Not willing to risk it, she said, "we got a little silly in…"

Jack sat upright, "…got a _little silly_?" he said with a grin, enjoying the idea of the normally serious Captain being silly.

True to her serious nature, Sam blinked in confusion and said, "Yes, we got a little silly in the Prehistoric section, and because of that there was a slight misunderstanding that resulted in hurt feelings. Daniel walked ahead to try and collect himself, but he was emotional – and so was I, and so we took a few moments apart to calm ourselves before deciding it'd be best to come back and try again on a different day."

Jack had listened, grimacing in areas that he absolutely _knew_ were watered down, and ultimately just raised his eyebrows at her when she finished talking, causing Sam to look away. A moment later he looked at Daniel. "That how it went down, Danny? …anything else to add?"

Daniel nodded at Jack a little too eagerly. "Yeah what Sam said. I don't have nothin' to add." Daniel said giving a look to Sam that expressed his gratitude.

Jack couldn't stop himself from chuckling at that answer and it took him a moment before he could say, "Well, I guess this meeting is adjourned." Then he looked at them quite seriously, "…Did you get ice cream?"

Sam tried to keep from laughing, her nose wrinkling slightly as she looked at Daniel in amusement.

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief when Jack started chuckling. At the mention of ice cream he looked at Sam and cracked a grin. "Sorry Jack, it kinda slipped our mind." He sent a sly wink at Sam as if to say "watch this". "You probably wouldn't want to go get some anyway would you?" he asked as he looked at Jack.

Sam tried to keep her mouth from twitching in an attempt to keep from smiling at the way Jack straightened up at the question, stopped, looked at the pile of files, deflated a bit, looked to the right with wheels spinning and then jumped up excitedly.

"As a matter of fact, Danny Boy, I _would_ like to go get some ice cream. Great idea," Jack said eagerly. "You in, Carter?"

"What about the paperwork, sir?" Sam said with a pretty good straight face.

Jack stopped and looked at it again, "You guys are the paper-reading type, maybe you could, uh, help me with it?"

Sam shot Daniel a look showing she didn't think it was a good idea. At all.

"I dunno about that Jack I mean maybe we should just wait on the ice cream. Sam was just saying how she wanted to get back to figuring out a way to re-age me and I'm kinda of tired. I thought maybe I'd take a nap," Daniel said hoping it worked. He didn't want to deal with the papers either.

Jack's eyebrows furrowed in disappointment and his mouth worked silently before he said, "Well, uh, yea, _there's __**that**_." Looking between the two of them, Jack realized he was resigned to his fate. "Yeah, ok then," he said, turning slightly to glare at the tower of files. "You two kids go have fun."

Daniel felt a little bad when he saw the look on Jack's face but not bad enough that he wanted to help with the paper work. He looked over at Sam to see what she thought.

Sam was smirking and, when she caught Daniel's gaze, lightly rolled her eyes before nodding at Jack. "You know, sir, if you did your paperwork as it came in…"

"Yea, Carter, _I know_," Jack bit back in his 'I'm not really angry but please shut up' sort of way. Then he rethought speaking like that and looked at her imploringly, "It's just so **boring** and tedious. …But I'll do it. Don't wanna set a bad example for Danny," he joked, shooting Daniel a playful wink.

"Well, we'll leave you to it, then," Sam said, nodding towards the door while looking at Daniel.

Daniel rolled his eyes at Jack's remark about setting a bad example. He already knew how Jack was. He began to move towards the door with Sam, but couldn't help to look back at Jack. Something in him wanted to stay so finally he said, "Hey Sam if you don't mind, I'm gonna stay in here with Jack. I'm not helping you, but I'll keep you company if you want."

"Ok. You guys have fun," Sam joked before leaving.

Jack's face brightened instantly at Daniel's words, and he gave a pleasant "Why _thank_ you, Danny. Make yourself comfortable." He looked around for a place Daniel _could_ make himself comfortable and then looked at him and shrugged.

Danny looked around at all the paperwork everywhere and then gave Jack a look. Finally he just decided to settle himself on the floor. He was practically a kid again and would have no problem getting up unlike a certain Colonel he knew. He smirked a little at that thought.

Jack watched Daniel and looked abashedly at the files covering every surface as Daniel eyed them, then chuckled when Daniel curled up on the floor. "I could have'em bring in a chair or somethin' for ya if you wanted," he offered, a little ashamed at the state of his office.

"It's okay Jack. I can get up easily off the floor. You know if you kept up with this stuff your office wouldn't look like this."

Jack hung his head slightly, "I know! …it's just…" Jack stopped, not wanting to whine in front of the kid. "I'm busy," he decided was a good answer and then finished with a grin, "_all_ of the time!"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "No you're not. You do everything you can to avoid doing this and then normally con me or Sam into doing it for you. If the General catches you doing it now, well...I'll probably have to be assigned a new guardian. Who knows how much he'll leave of you. I don't want to find out so don't ask," Daniel said and grinned.

Jack grimaced at the light scolding and huffed quietly, "Let's say I can always find something that needs doing to do instead of doing this stuff then." Grinning sheepishly at Daniel, "It's a tactic that's worked pretty well til now. And the good ole General isn't going to hurt me too bad, he needs me too much!" Jack joked.

Daniel grinned at that. It sounded pretty much like an excuse to get out of homework that a kid his age would use, but he wasn't going to tell Jack that. "Well let's hope the General never hears you say that."

Jack flashed a mock terrified look on his face, "You're tellin' _me_!" Thinking of the General had his nose back in the file he'd been working on.

Daniel chuckled at Jack as the man went back to his files. He lounged on the floor and began to think about the day he had had. Unbeknownst to him his eyes began to flutter shut and finally he fell asleep on the floor of Jack's office softly snoring.

Lost in his file work, Jack went through three folders before noticing how quiet Daniel had gotten. Glancing over, he grinned at the site of Daniel curled up and asleep on his floor. Getting up, he grabbed his jacket, folded it and slid it under Daniel's head as a sort of pillow before watching him for a moment, sighing and then getting back to work.


End file.
